Content amplification system and method

ABSTRACT

A content sharing system for sharing digital content within a conference space, where specific zones within the space are associated with different stations, includes at least one large common emissive surface arranged for viewing by users within the space, at least a first sensor device located within the space for identifying locations of portable computing devices used by conferees within the space, and a processor linked to the emissive surface and the sensor device. The processor is programmed to determine the location of a portable computing device within the space, recognize that the portable computing device is within one of the specific zones associated a station within the space, and, for each portable computing device that is at a station within the conference space, establish a wireless communication link with the portable computing device and enable the portable computing device to share content on the common emissive surface.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.16/810,367, filed on Mar. 5, 2020, and entitled “CONTENT AMPLIFICATIONSYSTEM AND METHOD,” which is a continuation of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 16/247,074, filed on Jan. 14, 2019, issued as U.S. Pat. No.10,638,090, on Apr. 28, 2020, and entitled “CONTENT AMPLIFICATION SYSTEMAND METHOD,” which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.15/840,730, filed on Dec. 13, 2017, issued as U.S. Pat. No. 10,264,213,on Apr. 16, 2019, and entitled “CONTENT AMPLIFICATION SYSTEM ANDMETHOD,” which claims the benefit of priority to U.S. provisional patentapplication Ser. No. 62/434,755, filed on Dec. 15, 2016, and entitled“CONTENT AMPLIFICATION SYSTEM AND METHOD,” each of which is incorporatedherein in its entirety by reference.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In many cases when people work together there is a need to shareinformation during meetings. In the past, when information was availablein a printed form, people would make hard copies of documents prior to ameeting and then distributes those copies at the beginning of a meetingor, sometimes, as a meeting progressed. One problem with hard copies wasthat meeting attendees or a meeting leader had to assess, prior to ameeting, which information would be relevant at the meeting. In manyinstances, during a meeting one or more attendees would realize thatother content, other information, perhaps also in printed form, and notpresent at the meeting, would have added value or been handy as areference. Thus, in many cases attendees would end up promising todeliver other information to the larger group at some other temporallydisjointed time.

Another problem with printed paper information sharing is that theprinted copies have to be obtained by attendees upon arriving for ameeting and then, during a meeting as attendees refer to differentsheets of the printed materials, all attendees have to page back andforth within the materials to view referenced information. In additionto increasing overall sloppiness of a meeting space, the machinationsassociated with multiple attendees paging back and forth through printedmaterials had a disruptive effect on overall meeting flow.

Yet one other problem with printed paper information sharing is that,often, too few copies of paper documents would be available at a meetingand therefore two or more attendees would be forced to share theircopies, again causing shuffling and sloppiness overall.

One other problem with paper based information sharing is that attendeesmay not be looking at the same materials all the time as some attendeeslook forward or backward in their copies or as some attendees simply getconfused as to which page or information is currently being discussed orreferenced.

One solution to address at least some of the shortcomings withpaper-based content sharing has been to provide a projector in aconference space where digital content stored on a laptop or otherpersonal portable computing device can be shared one item or image at atime. While more efficient, projector based solutions have their owndrawbacks such as, for instance, requiring disruption when a secondattendee takes over presenting content from a first attendee and needsto swap a cord linked to the projector from the first attendee's deviceto the second attendee's device, inability to use the projector systemwithout a personal computing device, etc.

Perhaps the best prior commercially available solution to informationand content sharing tasks within a conference space is a MediaScapesystem (hereinafter an “MS system”) designed and made commerciallyavailable by Steelcase, Inc., of Grand Rapids Mich., the presentapplicant. The MS system includes a plurality of flat panel displayscreens arranged at an end of an elongated table and a power/controlassembly mounted in an opening in a system tabletop. The power/controlassembly includes a storage compartment within and generally below thetabletop, a switcher device and a plurality of cable assemblies. Eachcable assembly includes a cable and a control device that resembles ahockey puck (hereinafter “puck”) attached to a central portion of thecable where one end of the cable is linked to the switcher device andthe other end of the cable includes a plug to be linked to a portablecomputing device. Here, in operation, an attendee pulls the plug end onone of the cables from a storage location in the storage compartment andlinks the plug to her computing device. Once a cable is linked to apersonal portable computing device, the puck on the cable lights up withbuttons for selecting one or a subset of the display screens for sharingthe desktop (e.g., current and dynamic image) from the linked computingdevice on the selected display screen.

In addition to including the storage compartment and cable assemblies,the control assembly includes power receptacles so that attendees canplug their computing devices in to charge and receive power during ameeting. Thus, to have a data link and also link to power, an attendeehas to link both a control cable and a power cable to her computingdevice.

In current versions of the MS system, control of the system displayscreens is completely egalitarian so that any linked attendee can takecontrol of any of the system display screens at any time withoutrequiring any permission or action by any other attendee. Thus, withfirst and second computing devices used by first and second attendeeslinked to first and second control cables and the first device desktopshared on a first system display screen, the second attendee may selecta share button on her control puck to swap the desktop image from thesecond computing device for the desktop image from the first computingdevice without any permission from or action by the first attendee.

While the MS system is relatively efficient and is an improved solutionfor sharing content when compared to prior solutions, the MS system andother similar systems have several shortcomings. For example, having tolink two cables to each portable computing device, one for data and onefor power, results in a relatively cluttered arrangement, especiallywhen several attendees link to several cable assemblies at the sametime.

As another example, whenever a cable linked to a device like amechanical device that is routinely moved as is the case with thecontrol cable assemblies that include pucks in the MS system,substantial strain is often placed on the cable to device connectionsand the cables themselves which can result in cable and device damage ormalfunction. To avoid cable damage, the MS system control cableassemblies have been designed to be extremely robust, including highgauge cables and beefed up connectors for connection of the cable to theswitching device, and the cable to the puck device. While robust cableassemblies work well in most cases, the cable assemblies still becomedamaged from time to time. In addition, while robust cable assembliesare a viable solution, they increase system costs appreciably.

As one other example, if an MS cable assembly is damaged ormalfunctions, it is not easy to replace the assembly as the connectionto the switching device is typically hidden from easy access andrequires a special knowledge of the system to be addressed. In manycases, because an MS system includes several (e.g., 4, 6, etc.) cableassemblies, if one or two cable assemblies malfunction, users simply usethe other assemblies instead of getting the malfunctioning assembliesfixed. While the other cable assemblies work well independent ofmalfunctioning assemblies, the malfunctioning assemblies can bebothersome as other attendees that use the system may be unaware ofmalfunctioning assemblies or may be frustrated as they hunt for aworking cable assembly.

As one other example, it is not easy to increase the number of cableassemblies in an MS system to expand connection capabilities to supportadditional attendees. In this regard, if a system is delivered with andprogramed to support four cable assemblies, adding two additionalassemblies is not easy requiring reconfiguration of mechanical systemcomponents as well as system programming modifications. Similarly, thepuck devices are designed to control content sharing on a maximum offour common display screens. It is envisioned that in the near future,many more than four screens or emissive surface windows or fields willbe available for content sharing.

As yet one other example, the current MS system only allows an attendeeto share her instantaneous desktop image on the system display screens.This means that an attendee cannot use her personal computing device toview a second set of content while sharing a first content set via acommon screen. Thus, if a first attendee has a first video presentationapplication and a second internet browser application open on hercomputer, she cannot share the video application while independentlyusing the browser to look for some other content she wants to share witha group. Similarly, the attendee cannot share different content ondifferent system display screens or in different sharing windows offields on a single display screen at the same time so if the attendeeabove wanted to show the video application output on a first commonscreen and the browser application on a second common screen, theattendee could not do that with a current MS system.

As yet one other example, with the MS system there is no way to enhancea user's experience beyond simply sharing and observing shared contenton the emissive surfaces presented by the system displays. Thus, theemissive surfaces are routinely wasted between content sharing sessionsand even during sharing activities when no content is presented.

A more recent solution includes a wireless sharing system where avirtual sharing tool including display screen selection buttons ispresented on a user's personal computer device that hovers over a user'sdesktop image. This solution deals at least in part with the clutteredcable problem associated with the MS system, although power cables arestill necessary. This solution also deals with the control cable strainproblem as the control cables are eliminated.

Wireless content sharing also has several problems, however. Forexample, in most wireless sharing cases there is no way to indicate whois currently controlling content. Additionally, wireless systems oftenrequire the installation of a dedicated application on contentproviders' devices. Thus, the system does not support users who do nothave the application downloaded, and taking time before or during ameeting to download, install, and configure the necessary software maybe disruptive and time consuming. Wireless systems also are not be asintuitive as the physical MS puck device that is dedicated to the MSsystem and that includes clearly defined buttons for selecting sharingoptions. The non-intuitive nature of the wireless systems is especiallyapparent when a new user enters an MS system space and has to go throughan unfamiliar access process in order to get on screen sharing tools.Additionally, as with the MS system, there may be no ability to modifythe number or configuration of inputs and outputs remotely or to fix theswitcher device remotely.

Still further portable devices that do not include wireless capabilitiesmay be incompatible with pure wireless systems. Moreover, users may havea perception, valid or not, that cable connections are more secure. Sucha sentiment may even be reflected in a formal company policy prohibitingor otherwise restricting wireless sharing of at least some types ofdocuments and information. In those cases, a wireless system is simplynot an option.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

Some embodiments of the present disclosure include a digital contentconference sharing system comprising a first large common emissivesurface arranged for viewing by users within a conference space, a firstconference table assembly located in the conference space and includingat least a first worksurface member and a plurality of indicator devicesthat form a plurality of user stations including at least first andsecond user stations, the first and second user stations including firstand second station worksurfaces and first and second indicator devicesspatially associated with the first and second worksurfaces, the firstindicator device controllable to indicate at least first and secondvisually distinct states, the second indicator device controllable toindicate at least the first visually distinct state and a third visuallydistinct state that is distinct from the first and second states, aprocessor programmed to perform the steps of (i) while a source deviceis associated with the first station and capable of sharing but is notsharing content on the common emissive surface, controlling the firstindicator to indicate the first state, (ii) while a source device isassociated with the second station and capable of sharing but is notsharing content on the common emissive surface, controlling the secondindicator to indicate the first state, (iii) while a source device isassociated with the first station and is sharing content on the commonemissive surface, controlling the first indicator to indicate the secondstate and (iv) while a source device is associated with the secondstation and is sharing content on the common emissive surface,controlling the second indicator to indicate the third state.

In some cases the content is presented in non-overlapping content fieldson the common emissive surface, the processor presenting a firstindicator that indicates the second state spatially proximate any fieldincluding content from a source device associated with the first stationand presenting a second indicator that indicates the third statespatially proximate any field including content from a source deviceassociated with the second station. In some cases each first indicatorincludes at least a first light bar of a first color along an edge of acontent sharing field in which content from a source device associatedwith the first station is presented and each second indicator includesat least one light bar of a second color along an edge of a contentsharing field in which content from a source device associated with thesecond station is presented.

In some embodiments each first indicator includes a full illuminatedframe about an associated sharing field and each second indicatorincludes a full illuminated frame about an associated sharing field. Insome cases the first and second indicators are light devices capable ofgenerating light in a plurality of different colors and wherein thefirst, second and third states are indicated by different illuminationcolors. In some cases the system further includes a user location sensorlinked to the processor, the processor further programmed to control thefirst and second indicator devices to, upon the processor detecting auser proximate the at least a first worksurface that is not associatedwith a station, illuminate one of the indicators at one of the stationsthat is not currently associated with a source device to indicate afourth state that is visually distinct from the first, second and thirdstates to guide the user toward the associated station.

In some embodiments the first, second, third and fourth states areindicated by generating different colored illumination. In some casesthe first indicator device includes a plurality of light devices thatsubstantially outline at least a portion of the first worksurface at thefirst station and the second indicator device includes a plurality oflight devices that substantially outline at least a portion of thesecond worksurface at the second station. In some cases each userstation further includes an interface assembly that includes selectablebuttons for controlling system content sharing states.

Tin some cases each interface includes at least first and secondselectable buttons for identifying first and second fields for sharingcontent on the common display. In some cases the processor controls theappearance of the selectable buttons. In some cases the processorcontrols the first interface first and second buttons to indicate thefirst state when a source device associated with the first station isnot sharing content in the first and second fields, respectively, and toindicate the second state when a source device associated with the firststation is sharing content in the first and second fields, respectively,and controls the second interface first and second buttons to indicatethe first state when a source device associated with the second stationis not sharing content in the first and second fields, respectively, andto indicate the third state when a source device associated with thesecond station is sharing content in the first and second fields,respectively. In some embodiments each interface also includes at leastthird and fourth selectable buttons for identifying third and fourthfields for sharing content on the common display.

In some cases the processor controls the first interface third andfourth buttons to indicate the first state when a source deviceassociated with the first station is not sharing content in the thirdand fourth fields, respectively, and to indicate the second state when asource device associated with the first station is sharing content inthe third and fourth fields, respectively, and controls the secondinterface third and fourth buttons to indicate the first state when asource device associated with the second station is not sharing contentin the third and fourth fields, respectively, and to indicate the thirdstate when a source device associated with the second station is sharingcontent in the third and fourth fields, respectively. In someembodiments the plurality of user stations includes at least a thirduser station that includes at least a third indicator device and a thirdinterface.

In some cases the system further includes at least one wirelesstransceiver linked to the processor, the transceiver for communicatingwirelessly with the source devices. In some cases the wirelesstransceiver includes first and second separate near field communicationdevices proximate the first and second user stations. In some cases eachstation includes a separate near field communication device. In somecases each station further includes a content sharing interfaceintegrated into the worksurface member.

In some cases the at least a first worksurface member includes aseparate work surface member for each of the user stations. In somecases the system further includes a second large common emissive surfacearranged for viewing by users within a second conference space and atleast a second conference table assembly located in the secondconference space and including at least a second worksurface member anda plurality of indicator devices that form a plurality of user stationsincluding at least third and fourth user stations, the third and fourthuser stations including third and fourth station worksurfaces and thirdand fourth indicator devices spatially associated with the third andfourth worksurfaces, the third indicator device controllable to indicateat least the first and a fourth visually distinct states, the fourthindicator device controllable to indicate at least the first visuallydistinct state and a fifth visually distinct state that is distinct fromthe other states, the content presented on the second common emissivesurface replicating the content presented on the first common emissivesurface, the processor programmed to further perform the steps of (i)while a source device is associated with the third station and capableof sharing but is not sharing content on the common emissive surfaces,controlling the third indicator to indicate the first state, (ii) whilea source device is associated with the fourth station and capable ofsharing but is not sharing content on the common emissive surfaces,controlling the fourth indicator to indicate the first state, (iii)while a source device is associated with the third station and issharing content on the common emissive surface, controlling the thirdindicator to indicate the third state and (iv) while a source device isassociated with the fourth station and is sharing content on the commonemissive surface, controlling the fourth indicator to indicate thefourth state.

Other embodiments include a digital content conference sharing systemcomprising a first large common emissive surface arranged for viewing byusers within a conference space, a first conference table assemblylocated in the conference space and including at least a firstworksurface member and a plurality of indicator devices that form aplurality of user stations, each user station including a stationspecific section of the worksurface member and indicator devicesspatially associated with the station, each indicator devicecontrollable to indicate at least first and second visually distinctstates wherein each first state is indicated in a first visuallydistinct manner and each second state is indicated in an indicatorspecific second visually distinct manner that is different for each ofthe indicators, each state including the first state and each of theindicator specific second visually distinct states indicated bygenerating light of a state specific and visually distinct color, aprocessor programmed to perform the steps of (i) while a source deviceis associated with a user station and capable of sharing but is notsharing content on the common emissive surface, controlling theindicator associated with the station to indicate the first state, (ii)while a source device is associated with a user station and is currentlysharing content in a field on the common emissive surface, controllingthe indicator associated with the station to indicate the indicatorspecific second state and presenting an on screen indicator that alsoindicates the indicator specific second state associated with the userstation.

Other embodiments include a digital content conference sharing systemcomprising a first large common emissive surface arranged for viewing byusers within a conference space, a first conference table assemblylocated in the conference space and including at least a firstworksurface member and a plurality of indicator devices that form aplurality of user stations, each user station including a stationspecific section of the worksurface member and indicator devicesspatially associated with the station, each indicator devicecontrollable to indicate at least first and second visually distinctstates wherein each first state is indicated in a first visuallydistinct manner and each second state is indicated in an indicatorspecific second visually distinct manner that is different for each ofthe indicators, each state including the first state and each of theindicator specific second visually distinct states indicated bygenerating light of a state specific and visually distinct color, eachstation further including a station specific user interface integratedinto the worksurface member including at least first and secondselectable content sharing buttons associated with at least first andsecond fields on the common emissive surface, the buttons operable tocontrol content sharing in an egalitarian fashion, a processorprogrammed to perform the steps of (i) while a source device isassociated with a user station and capable of sharing but is not sharingcontent on the common emissive surface, controlling the indicatorassociated with the station to indicate the first state, (ii) while asource device is associated with a user station and is currently sharingcontent in a field on the common emissive surface, controlling theindicator associated with the station to indicate the indicator specificsecond state and presenting an on screen indicator that also indicatesthe indicator specific second state associated with the user station.

Some embodiments include a digital content sharing system comprising aconference table assembly including a tabletop member having asubstantially flat and horizontal top surface, a plurality of userstations arranged about an edge of the tabletop member, a separateopening formed in the top surface at least of the user stations, a largecommon display screen, a switching device linked to the display screenfor presenting content in sharing fields thereon and a plurality ofmulti-purpose connection ports, a separate one of the connection portsmounted within each of the openings formed in the top surface to beaccessible from above the top surface, each connection port linked tothe switching device as a separate input.

In some cases each connection port is a USB-C port. Ion some cases eachuser station further includes a user interface. In some cases each userinterface is integrated into the tabletop member. In some cases eachuser interface is arranged adjacent a lateral edge of an associated userstation. In some cases each user station further includes at least onelight indicator device integrated into the tabletop member proximate thestation where the indicator light is controlled to indicate contentsharing states associated with content presented on the large commondisplay. In some cases each indicator device includes a light devicethat generates light surrounding an associated port and opening at astation and wherein the indicator device indicates a content sharingstate for a source device associated with the station.

Some embodiments include a digital content sharing system comprising alarge common emissive surface supported for viewing within a conferencespace, a conference table assembly located in the conference spaceadjacent the common emissive surface, the table assembly including atabletop member and a plurality of user stations, each station includinga tabletop space and an interface assembly integrated into the tabletopassembly along at least one lateral edge of the associated tabletopspace, each interface presenting N+1 content sharing field options up toa total of M where N is the total number of current content sharingfields.

Some embodiments include a method for use with a digital content sharingsystem located in a conference space including at least a first largecommon emissive surface and a conference table assembly that includes aplurality of user stations arranged about an edge of a tabletop, eachuser station including at least a first light type indicator devicegenerally viewable within the conference space, the method comprisingthe steps of upon detection of a user that is not currently associatedwith the content sharing system within the conference space,illuminating a first indicator device that is associated with a firstuser station with a first color light as an invitation to the detecteduser to occupy the associated station, upon the detected userassociating a user content source device with the associated station andprior to sharing content on the common emissive surface, illuminatingthe first indicator device with a second color light as an indicationthat the user is able to share content from the user's content sourcedevice on the common emissive surface and upon the detected user sharingcontent from the user's content source device on the emissive surface,illuminating the first indicator device with a third color light as anindication that the user is currently sharing content on the commonemissive surface.

In some cases the method further includes the steps of, upon thedetected user associating a user content source device with a stationother than the associated station and prior to sharing content on thecommon emissive surface, illuminating the indicator device associatedwith the other station with the second color light and turning off thefirst indicator device.

Other embodiments include a digital content sharing system comprising alarge common emissive surface arranged for viewing in a conferencespace, a processor linked to the emissive surface and including severalinputs for receiving content from linked user source devices, theprocessor programmed to perform the steps of (i) presenting at leastfirst and second content non-overlapping sharing fields on the emissivesurface for sharing content where the content shared in the sharingfields is changed during a conference session so that different inputsource devices drive the sharing fields at different times withdifferent content, (ii) presenting forward and reverse options via atleast a first interface enabling at least one conference user to selectoptions to step forward and backward in the shared content so that thecontent presented in the sharing fields can be reviewed.

Other embodiments include a digital content sharing system comprising alarge common emissive surface supported in a conference space forviewing, a switching device linked to the emissive surface and includingseveral source device inputs linkable to content source devices, atleast a first interface assembly including selectable content sharingoptions including at least an option to replicate an instantaneousdynamic user device desktop on the emissive surface, to freeze an imageof an instantaneous dynamic user device desktop on the emissive surfacewhile the user's source device is used to access other content and tocause a user's desktop application output to be replicated on theemissive surface while the user's source device is used to access otherapplications or content.

Yet other embodiments include a digital content sharing systemcomprising a large common emissive surface supported in a conferencespace for viewing, the emissive surface presenting at least first andsecond non-overlapping content sharing fields, a switching device linkedto the emissive surface and including several source device inputslinkable to content source devices, a processor linked to the switchingdevice for controlling content delivered to the content sharing fields,the processor programmed to perform the steps of presenting a freezeimage of a previous desktop image from a first source device in thefirst field and presenting an instantaneous dynamic desktop from thefirst source device in the second field.

Other embodiments include a digital content sharing system comprising alarge common emissive surface supported in a conference space forviewing, the emissive surface presenting at least first and secondnon-overlapping content sharing fields, a switching device linked to theemissive surface and including several source device inputs linkable tocontent source devices, a processor linked to the switching device forcontrolling content delivered to the content sharing fields, theprocessor programmed to perform the steps of receiving content from atleast first and second applications run by a first user source deviceand causing the switching device to present the content from the firstand second applications in the first and second fields, respectively.

Some embodiments include a digital content sharing system comprising atleast a first large common emissive surface supported for viewing withina conference space, the emissive surface presenting at least a firstcontent sharing field, a conference table assembly including a tabletopadjacent the emissive surface, at least a first interface deviceintegrated into the tabletop and including at least a separateselectable option for each content sharing field on the emissive surfaceand a touch pad for controlling a first pointing icon on the commonemissive surface.

In some cases the system further includes at least a second interfacedevice integrated into the tabletop and including at least a separateselectable option for each content sharing field on the emissive surfaceand a touch pad for controlling a pointing icon on the common emissivesurface. In some cases the pointing icon controllable via the secondinterface is a second pointing icon that is independent of the firstpointing icon. In some cases the first interface further includes atleast one add field option for adding an additional content sharingfield on the emissive surface and wherein, when an additional field isadded to the emissive surface, an additional filed selection option isadded to the first interface that is associated with the newly addedfield.

Still other embodiments include a digital content sharing systemcomprising at least a first large common emissive surface supported forviewing within a conference space, an emissive surface control processorlinked to the emissive surface and linkable to source devices forreceiving content therefrom and presenting the content on the emissivesurface, the processor programmed to perform the steps of receivecontrol commands from at least first and second linked source devicesand to control the common emissive surface like an extension screen foreach of the first and second linked source devices so that content canbe dragged from first and second display screens of the first and secondsource devices to the common emissive surface for simultaneous contentpresentation on the common emissive surface from the first and secondsource devices.

Some cases include a digital content sharing method for use with aplurality of portable user computing devices, the method comprising thesteps of causing a first portable computing device to identify otherportable computing devices within a threshold range of the firstportable computing devices, presenting a list of the other portablecomputing devices within the threshold range via a display on the firstportable computing device, receiving selection of at least a subset ofthe other portable computing devices from the list, establishing anetwork between the selected portable computing devices, presenting acontrol interface on the first portable computing device display screenand on each display screen of a portable computing device linked to thenetwork wherein each interface includes a share option for sharing aninstantaneous and dynamic desktop from an associated computing device,upon selection of one of the share options, replicating theinstantaneous and dynamic desktop from the associated computing devicein fields on each of the displays of the computing devices that arelinked to the network, while content from one computing device isreplicated on other computing device displays, enabling each computingdevice to replace the shared content in an egalitarian fashion and alsoenabling each computing device to open an additional content sharingfield on each device display for simultaneously sharing content from atleast two computing devices.

In some cases content sharing fields are presented in an overlappingfashion with desktop images so that computing device users have accessto their own desktops during a sharing session.

Other embodiments include a digital content sharing system comprising atfirst and second large common emissive surfaces supported for viewingwithin a conference space, the second emissive surface being touchsensitive, an emissive surface control processor linked to the emissivesurfaces and linkable to source devices for receiving content therefromand presenting the content on the emissive surfaces, the processorprogrammed to perform the steps of detecting at least a first portableuser source device and associating the source device with the system forcontent sharing, presenting a user interface to the user at a userstation useable to share a desktop from the source device on the firstemissive surface, detecting that a user associated with the first usersource device located proximate the second emissive surface andpresenting a small representation of the instantaneous and dynamicdesktop from the first portable device proximate the user on the secondemissive surface along with a replicated user interface useable to sharethe desktop on the first emissive surface.

Some embodiments include a workplace affordance configuration comprisinga table assembly including a tabletop member for use by a system usewhere the tabletop member includes an edge portion along which the useris positioned during use, at least a first directional speaker supportedproximate the table assembly and including a field of sound (FOS) thatis directed toward location along the tabletop member edge at which theuser is positioned during use so that a user's head is located in acolumn of sound generated by the speaker.

In some cases the configuration further includes a sound absorbingmember on a side of the space to be occupied by a user opposite thespeaker. In some cases the at least a first speaker is mounted within aceiling above the table assembly. In some cases the at least a firstspeaker is mounted within the tabletop member so that sound is directedtoward the space occupied by a user in a generally upward and outwarddirection. In some cases the configuration further includes a user headtracking sensor device wherein a processor is programmed to steer thespeaker FOS toward a user's head as the user moves about at the tabletopedge.

Still other embodiments include a digital content sharing systemcomprising a first content sharing arrangement located at a firstconference space and including at least a first large common emissivesurface for viewing in the first conference space, the first contentsharing arrangement further including a first switching device forreceiving content from any of a plurality of user source devices linkedto first switching device inputs and for presenting shared content infields on the first emissive surface, a second content sharingarrangement located at a second conference space and including at leasta second large common emissive surface for viewing in the secondconference space, the second content sharing arrangement furtherincluding a second switching device for receiving content from any of aplurality of user source devices linked to second switching deviceinputs and for presenting shared content in fields on the secondemissive surface, wherein, the common emissive surface at the firstlocation is capable of presenting more large format content sharingfields than the common emissive surface at the second location and,wherein, when more large format content sharing field are presented atthe first location than at the second location, the fields at the firstlocation that are not presented in the large format at the secondlocation are visually distinguished.

In some cases the second location presents small format fields on thesecond emissive surface that replicate content from the large formatfields at the first location that are not presented in a large format atthe second location.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention,then, comprises the features hereinafter fully described. The followingdescription and the annexed drawings set forth in detail certainillustrative aspects of the invention. However, these aspects areindicative of but a few of the various ways in which the principles ofthe invention can be employed. Other aspects, advantages and novelfeatures of the invention will become apparent from the followingdetailed description of the invention when considered in conjunctionwith the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary content sharing system thatis consistent with at least some aspects of the present disclosure:

FIG. 2 is a second perspective view of the system shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the system shown in FIG. 1 including detailrelated to an exemplary user station along an edge of a system tabletop;

FIG. 4 is a view of a connector and a port that are used in at leastsome embodiments of the present disclosure;

FIG. 5 is similar to FIG. 4, albeit showing different embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a schematic view of various components of the system shown inFIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a top partially plan and partially laid out view of the systemshown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is similar to FIG. 7, albeit showing the system in a differentoperating state;

FIG. 9 is similar to FIG. 7, albeit showing the system in a differentoperating state;

FIG. 10 is similar to FIG. 7, albeit showing the system in a differentoperating state;

FIG. 11 is similar to FIG. 7, albeit showing the system in a differentoperating state;

FIG. 12 is similar to FIG. 7, albeit showing the system in a differentoperating state;

FIG. 13 is similar to FIG. 7, albeit showing the system in a differentoperating state;

FIG. 14 is similar to FIG. 7, albeit showing a system with a largertabletop assembly and a second display screen opposite a first;

FIG. 15 is similar to FIG. 7, albeit including an emissive surfaceinterface at east user station about a tabletop member;

FIG. 16 is similar to FIG. 15, albeit including an emissive surfaceinterface at east user station about a tabletop member;

FIG. 17 is similar to FIG. 15, albeit including an emissive surfaceinterface at east user station about a tabletop member;

FIG. 18 is similar to FIG. 15, albeit including an emissive surfaceinterface at east user station about a tabletop member;

FIG. 19 is similar to FIG. 15, albeit including an emissive surfaceinterface at east user station about a tabletop member;

FIG. 20 is similar to FIG. 15, albeit including an emissive surfaceinterface at east user station about a tabletop member;

FIG. 21 is similar to FIG. 7, albeit where user's use laptop devices asopposed to integrated interfaces to control content sharing activities;

FIG. 22 is similar to FIG. 21, albeit showing a different operatingstate;

FIG. 23 is similar to FIG. 15, albeit where the interfaces haveadditional control features;

FIG. 24 is shows a top plan view including a common display screenarranged to support a single system user;

FIG. 25 is a schematic view showing a plurality of wireless user sourcecomputing devices that may be wirelessly linked together in a localnetwork for content sharing that is consistent with at least someaspects of the present disclosure;

FIG. 26 is similar to FIG. 25, albeit showing the devices of FIG. 25after association and during a content sharing session;

FIG. 27 is similar to FIG. 26 albeit showing the system in a differentoperating state;

FIG. 28 is similar to FIG. 26 albeit showing the system in a differentoperating state;

FIG. 29 is similar to FIG. 27 albeit showing a different way to arrangeuser desktop and shared content fields;

FIG. 30 is similar to FIG. 29, albeit showing the system if a differentoperating state;

FIG. 31 is partially flat top plan view of a content sharing systemwhere pre-canned control options are presented for a user to consider;

FIG. 32 is a perspective view of a content sharing application where auser is shown proximate a touch sensitive emissive surface in aconference space and where the user' desktop is replicated at the user'slocation remote from the user's source computing device;

FIG. 33 is similar to FIG. 32, albeit showing other aspects of a sharingsystem that are consistent with at least some concepts in the presentdisclosure including other sharing state indicator systems as well asdirectional speaker systems;

FIG. 34 is a partially flattened top plan view of first and secondremotely located conference systems where remote users that sharecontent are indicated on at least one common emissive surface;

FIG. 35 is a partially flattened top plan view of first and secondremotely located conference systems wherein one of the systems isafforded with more emissive surface than the other; and

FIG. 36 is a perspective view of one other configuration where userstations are formed separately as opposed to along edges of a singletabletop member.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference numbers correspondto similar elements throughout the several views and, more specifically,referring to FIGS. 1 through 3, the present disclosure will be describedin the context of a content sharing system 10 including a system tableassembly 12, a storage assembly 14, a wireless communication systemrepresented by wireless access points 16, and a plurality of task chairscollectively identified by numeral 20. Other system components that arehoused within table or other space affordance structure are shownschematically in FIG. 6 which will be described in greater detail below.

Referring still to FIGS. 1 through 3, table assembly 12 includes a legsupport structure 15, a tabletop member or assembly 24, large displayscreen 18 a (See also FIG. 6) and a power/control assembly 32. Legstructure 15 supports the tabletop assembly 24 so that a top flatsurface 26 thereof is substantially horizontal. Tabletop member 24 has apolygonal shape with a front edge 21 and an opposite and parallel rearedge 23 and first and second lateral side edges 25 and 27, respectively,where the side edges traverse the distance between ends of the front andrear edges. Rear edge 23 is longer than front edge 21 so that the sideedges 25 and 27 angle toward each other when moving from the rear edgetoward the front edge and the side edges are symmetrical and straight sothat if the tabletop member 24 were divided down the middle from frontto rear edges, the two sides would mirror each other.

Referring still to FIGS. 1 through 4, tabletop member 24 forms severalopenings in top surface 26 including connection port openingscollectively identified by numeral 34. Connection port openings 34include connectors or ports 35 for linking personal portable computingor source devices to a system switching device 104 (see also FIG. 6). Inparticularly advantageous embodiments, each port 35 may include amultipurpose connector port for at least power and data connections.Here, a data connection means that the port is capable of many types ofdata communication including but not limited to audio and video. Oneparticularly useful and currently available multipurpose connector isthe USB-C connector that is widely available. Unless indicatedotherwise, hereafter each port 35 will be referred to as a USB-C port ofconnector unless indicated otherwise. Because ports 35 are multipurposea single USB-C cable or other multipurpose cable 39 including a USB-C orother suitable male connector can link a portable computing device tothe system for audio and video as well as control and other datatransfer and also for power.

In at least some embodiments, port 35 is mounted within opening 34 sothat the port is substantially flush with or slightly recessed fromtabletop top surface 26 and so that no part of the port or structurethere around stands proud of the tabletop surface 26. In advantageousembodiments water or liquid proof USB-C ports are used so that if anyliquid is inadvertently spilled on tabletop surface 26 and makes its wayto opening 34, the liquid will not damage the port, cables or anyelectronic devices linked thereto. Liquid proof USB-C ports are widelyavailable on the market today and any suitable port may be utilized.Even in cases where a USB-C port is liquid proof, in some embodiments araised lip 41 (see phantom in FIG. 5) may be provided about opening 34to block at least some liquid from entering opening 34 when aninadvertent spill occurs.

In other embodiments tabletop member 24 may include either a raisedportion (not shown) or a recessed portion as shown at 45 in FIG. 5 wherea USB-C receptacle is located on an at least partially vertical wallmember so that it is angled with horizontal to minimize the possibilityof liquid entering the port 35. Here, an opening 51 at the bottom of therecessed portion may be provided to divert liquid away from the port ifany liquid enters the recessed area.

Referring again to FIGS. 1 through 3, in the illustrated embodiment thetabletop includes seven USB-C ports 35 that are spaced about, threegenerally arranged along each of the side edge portions 25 and 27 and asingle port located for use by an attendee positioned adjacent frontedge 21 of top member 24. An exemplary USB-C connector port 35 has anextremely small configuration required to accommodate a USB-C connectorthat is approximately 8.4 mm wide by less than 2.6 mm high.

USB-C ports and connecting cables have several advantages over priorcable connection systems. First, most system users will already befamiliar with USB-C or other USB type ports and therefore, using one ofthe ports 35 to link for power and data sharing should be extremelyintuitive to most system users.

Second, in most cases it is envisioned that system users that want touse the USB-C ports to link to the sharing system will have to supplytheir own USB-C cables 39 which can be readily obtained at any computerstore and other types of retail stores. It is believed that users may bemore careful with their own cable devices than with system integratedcable assemblies.

Third, USB-C cables, connectors and ports are extremely robust andtherefore do not malfunction or become damaged very often. For thisreason, a system including USB-C ports and requiring USB-C cables shouldbe substantially more robust that other cable based systems.

Fourth, even in cases where a USB-C cable becomes damaged ormalfunctions for some reason, the solution is to simply use a differentUSB-C cable, perhaps borrowed from a meeting mate or someone in thegeneral area of system 10. Here, there is no need to wait foramaintenance person to fix the system.

Fifth, because the USB-C ports and accommodating openings 34 areextremely small and can be integrated into the tabletop to besubstantially flush with top surface 26, the ports 35 simply do notobstruct other use of the tabletop surface there around when not usedfor sharing content. In addition, because the ports 35 provide noobstruction above the tabletop surface 26 in at least some embodiments,the ports can easily be placed at any location within the table topwithout affecting tabletop use.

Sixth, because the USB-C ports can be placed anywhere withoutobstructing tabletop use, the ports can be placed immediately adjacentuser stations about the top member and even within the portion of thetabletop surface that is to be used by a user at a specific station. Byplacing ports immediately near where they will be used, the length ofUSB-C cable required to link to a port is reduced appreciably. Inaddition, even if a user uses a longer connection cable, theintermediate portion of that cable can be positioned adjacent the edgeof the tabletop and need not extend into a central tabletop area.Shorter connection cables or cables that do not have to extend to acentrally located connection assembly result in less clutter and abetter overall appearance.

Sixth, any security concerns about wireless content sharing systems canbe eliminated where USB-C or other port types are utilized in a sharingsystem. No wireless sharing means no possibility of unintended andinadvertent data sharing or access. At least some entities that installsharing systems already demand cabled systems for security purposes andthe USB-C and other port types integrated into the system facilitatepeace of mind.

In at least some cases system users that intend to take advantage of theUSB-C ports 35 may be required to bring their own USB-C cables to linkdevices to the system. Requiring users to bring their own cables is notparticularly burdensome as many and in some cases most users are alreadyaccustomed to carrying their own connection cables for charging andother connection purposes. In other cases one or a set of USB-C cablesmay be stored in a system space on a shelf or in some other storageaffordance proximate the table assembly 12.

Referring again to FIGS. 1 through 3, the seven USB-C ports areintegrated into the exemplary tabletop surface 24 adjacent first throughseventh user spaces or stations 60 a through 60 g (see also FIG. 6) thatwill be referred to herein as first through seventh “user stations” 60 athrough 60 g, respectively. Each of the user stations 60 a through 60 gmay include a specific tabletop sub-portion such as, for instance, a 2½foot by 2 foot rectangular area adjacent the tabletop edge. In someembodiments the user stations may not be visually distinguished at alland system designers may simply rely upon the locations of ports 35 tohelp guide users to different user locations about the tabletop edge. Inother cases, printed indicia on the tabletop surface or along an edge ofthe tabletop surface may distinguish one user station from adjacent userstations. To this end, in FIGS. 2 and 3, phantom boxes, one labelled 69,are shown at each of the user stations 60 a through 60 g. While shown inphantom, the station boxes may include paint, print or even somemechanical machination in the top surface (e.g., a recessed line, a rib,etc.) that distinguish adjacent stations.

In other embodiments it is contemplated that light devices integratedinto the tabletop 24 below tabletop surface 26 may generate light todistinguish adjacent stations. Here, in some cases, a top surface layerof tabletop member 24 may be translucent yet opaque so that lightgenerated there below passes through the top layer to distinguish anassociated station from tabletop surface protons there around, but wherethe station space is not distinguishable from adjacent tabletop portionswhen the light is deactivated. For instance, the top surface layer mayinclude an opaque/translucent plastic material. U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 15/170,550 which was filed on Jun. 1, 2016 and which is titled“Space Guidance And Management System And Method” teaches, in FIGS. 20and 21, one way to integrate light devices and input interface buttonsinto a tabletop structure so that the devices are not viewable unlessilluminated and that reference is incorporated herein in its entirety byreference. Unless indicated otherwise, hereafter, an opaque/translucenttabletop assembly where light can be transmitted therethrough todistinguish one top surface portion from others but where the portionsare indistinguishable when the light is not activated will be referredto as a “translucent tabletop”.

Referring now to FIG. 6, each USB-C port 35 is linkable through systemswitching device 104 to a common display 18 a for sharing contentthereon. While system control command signals may be provided directlyto switching device 104 in some embodiments, in other embodiments system10 may include a dedicated system computer/processor 100 that receivescontrol commands and drives switching device 104 based on thosecommands. Programs run by processor 100 are stored in a memory device102 or database and/or may be accessible via a network connection 110.

In order to control content sharing on display 18 a, each user has tohave some type of input device to provide commands to switching device104 or to the controlling processor 100. In some embodiments it iscontemplated that a virtual interface may be provided on each user'slaptop or other portable communication device. To this end, exemplaryvirtual control interfaces for a content sharing system is described inU.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/568,938 which is titled “PersonalControl Apparatus And Method For Sharing Information In A CollaborativeWorkspace” and which was filed on Mar. 23, 2016 at FIGS. 16, 17, 18, 20,21 and 34-37 and that reference is incorporated herein in its entiretyby reference. In some cases, when a user links her portable computingdevice via a USB-C cable to one of the ports 35, the system processor100 may be programmed to automatically present a virtual controlinterface including one or more selectable virtual buttons that hoverover the desktop image presented on the users device screen. In thisregard, see the exemplary hovering virtual interface at 71 in FIG. 1.Here, when only one sharing field is presented on the common screen 18a, only one selectable virtual button is presented at 71. If twoindependent sharing fields are presented on surface 18 a, two selectablebuttons, one for each field, may be presented at 71 where the buttonsare arranged in a juxtaposition that mirrors the juxtaposition of thefields on surface 18 a.

If an attendee linked via a cable 39 disconnects the cable ordisconnects her portable device from the cable, processor 100 mayautomatically revert to a default state in which any content from thedisconnected device that was presented on the common surface prior todisconnection, is removed from surface 18 a. In some cases where a firstsource device was linked to display 18 a when a second source device wasused to take control of the display 18 a, if the second device isdelinked from the switching device or if the user of the second deviceelects to remove her desktop image from display 18 a, the default statemay revert to presenting the instantaneous desk top image from the firstdevice, assuming that first device remains linked to switcher 104.

In other cases, instead of providing a virtual control interface on auser's personal portable computing device display screen, a set ofcontrol interfaces may be integrated directly into table assembly 12and, more specifically, into either the tabletop member 24 or into theedges of the tabletop. To this end, see 76 b in FIG. 3 (see also FIG. 6)that includes a tabletop integrated interface assembly adjacent thesecond user station 60 b along the edge of tabletop member 24 forcontrolling content presented on display 18 a. In at least someembodiments interface 76 b includes first through fourth capacitivetouch sensitive buttons 120 b, 122 b, 124 b and 126 b, respectively,integrated into the tabletop member 24, each of which can be selected byuser contact. Other station interfaces akin to interface 76 b areprovided at each of the other user stations 60 a and 6 oc through 60 g.U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/170,550 which is referenced andincorporated in its entirety by reference above teaches one type ofcapacitive table integrated button which may be used in the presentcase. Here, it should suffice to say that each of the buttons that forminterface 76 b includes a capacitive touch sensor mounted below thetabletop surface 26 where contact with the portion of top surface 26above the button is sensed and identified as a button selection. Inother cases the interface may include more than four or less than fourselectable buttons.

As is the case with visually distinguishing different user stationsdescribed above, some type of printed or painted indicia or even sometype of mechanically differentiated indicia may be presented on orformed in the tabletop surface 24 just above the capacitive buttons toguide a user on where to touch to select one or more of the buttons. Inother cases, where a top layer member is translucent as described above,each of the buttons 120 b, 122 b, etc., may include a light device(e.g., one or more LEDs) mounted below the top layer that, whenactivated, generate light that passes up through the top layer and isvisually distinguishable from above surface 26 to determine buttonlocations.

Each of the table integrated interfaces (e.g., 76 b) is at leastspatially aligned with one of the USB-C ports 35 so that a user shouldbe able to spatially discern the association. Thus, for instance, inFIG. 3, interface 76 b is aligned with port 35 b, interface 76 f isaligned with port 35 f, etc.

Referring again to FIG. 3, in at least some embodiments selection of thebuttons 120 b, 122 b, 124 b and 126 b may cause content from anassociated linked portable device (e.g., the instantaneous desktop imagefrom a device linked to an aligned one of the ports (e.g., 35 b)) to bedisplayed in an egalitarian fashion on display 18 a. If only one desktopis shared at a point in time, that desktop image may be large andcentrally located on surface or display 18 a and may cover substantiallyall of the surface. While a first desktop from one portable device isshared on display 18 a, if a second desktop is to be shared in parallelwith the first, the user intending to share the second desktop mayselect second virtual interface button 122 b, thereby causing the firstdesktop on surface 18 a to shrink to a smaller size so that the firstand second desktops can be presented side by side (see also FIG. 11).Third and fourth buttons 124 b and 126 b likewise can be selectedcausing processor 100 to split the space on surface even further.

In some embodiments, if a first user is currently presenting her desktopin a first field associated with first button 120 b and a second userselects the second button on her interface 76 f while her portabledevice is linked to port 76 f, instead of presenting the second desktopsimultaneously with the first, the second desk top may be swapped in forthe first desktop in the first field. Referring again to FIGS. 1 and 3,if a first user is currently presenting her desktop in the first fieldon display 18 a and selects the first interface button 120 b at herstation, the selection while presenting desktop may cause the desktop tobe removed from display 18 a.

While not absolutely necessary in some embodiments, particularlyadvantageous embodiments will include some indicating functionality toindicate different system states and, in some cases, to indicate who issharing content during a meeting. For instance, as described in thealready incorporated U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/568,938, in thecase of a virtual control interface 71 that includes a different virtualbutton for each field in which content may be shared on display 18 a,user names of users currently sharing content in specific fields may bepresented on the associated buttons (e.g., a first user's name “John”may appear in an upper left hand control button on all linked portabledevice interfaces when a user John is sharing content on in an upperleft hand window of display 18 a). In this way, anyone can instantaneousdetermine who is posting or sharing content by viewing their ownpersonal interface 71.

As another instance, referring again to FIG. 4, a separate lightindicator device 180 may be provided proximate or surrounding each ofthe ports 35. In FIG. 4 the light device is shown as an oval shapedlight device in left down to right cross hatching but that device maytake any of several other different forms. In some cases the lightdevice may include a lens or transparent cover member having a topsurface that is substantially flush with the top surface 26 of tabletopmember 24. In other cases, the light device may be integrated into thetable assembly with an LED or other light source positioned below theportion of a translucent tabletop member 26 about an associated port sothat when the light device is off, presence of that device cannot bediscerned and, when the light device 180 is illuminated, the portion oftop surface 26 adjacent the associated port is lit up or glows. In somecases the light generated by device 180 may always be a single colorwhen illuminated and may simply indicate that content is being shared bya linked source device (e.g., when the light 180 is activated) or thatno content is being shared (e.g., when device 180 is off). In this case,if two users are simultaneously sharing desktops in first and seconddisplay fields via ports 35 b and 35 f, both port indicator lights 180may be illuminated the same color to simply indicate that devices linkedto each port are currently driving the displayed content.

In still other cases integrated light devices that shine throughportions of a translucent tabletop member 24 and that define userstations 60 a through 60 g may be used to indicate at least two controlstates for a source device at that station including not sharing contentand sharing content. In this regard, see the translucent lightconstructs represented at 70 b, 72 b and 74 b in FIG. 3 that, when litand shining through a top translucent layer of tabletop 24, define thetabletop section assigned to the second user station 60 b. Thus, whenindicator devices 70 b, 72 b and 74 b are not lit, a device linked toport 35 b may not be sharing content while lit indicators 70 b, 72 b and74 b may indicate that a device linked to port 35 b is sharing content.

While three indicator light bars 70 b, 72 b, 74 b are shown at each userstation in the exemplary system 10, in other embodiments the stationlight indicators may take other forms such as a single indicator bar 72b, a circular indicator (not shown), etc.

In still other cases, the control buttons associated with the tableintegrated interfaces (e.g., 79 in FIG. 3) may include built in lightdevices for indicating different control states. For instance, interface79 in FIG. 3 may include first through fourth light devices locatedbelow portions of a translucent top layer of the tabletop assembly 24where a non-lit button indicates no sharing and a lit button indicatessharing.

In any of the embodiments described above that include light indicatordevices integrated into the tabletop member 24, indicators may becapable of and controlled to indicate any of three different controlstates. To this end, for instance, referring again to FIG. 3, each ofthe light indicator devices associated with buttons 120 b, 122 b, 124 band 126 b may be controllable to generate three or more distinctlydifferent colors of light where each color indicates a different state.For instance, a first red color may simply indicate that a port 35 b andassociated control interface 79 b is available for use if a user wantsto link into the port to connect to the system 10. A second yellow colormay indicate when a user has successfully linked her device to the port35 b but is not currently sharing content and a green indicator mayindicate when a user's device at station 60 b is linked and sharingcontent of the common display 18 a.

Hereinafter, unless indicated otherwise, a non-cross hatched button orindicator in the drawings will indicate that the button or indicator isnot illuminated at all, vertical hashing (see 70 b in FIG. 7) willindicate red illumination used for guiding an attendee to a specificuser station associated with system 10 and/or for indicating that anattendee can link to the system at an associated station for sharingcontent, left up to right hatching (see 70 b in FIG. 8) will indicateyellow illumination and that an associated attendee is linked to system10 for sharing content but is not currently sharing content, and doublecross hatching (e.g., left up to right and right up to left, see 70 b inFIG. 9) will indicate green illumination. Other colors are indicated byother hatching effects. For instance, blue will be indicated by leftdown to right hatching (see button 122 b in FIG. 12) and pink will beindicated by horizontal hatching (see button 124 b in FIG. 12).

In at least some cases, the user station interfaces (e.g., 76 b in FIG.3) at occupied user stations 60 a through 60 g may be controlled toindicate only display fields that are currently being used to presentcontent and one additional field thereby offering system users theoption to either take control of one of the fields currently used topresent content or to create an additional field for presenting newcontent simultaneously with existing content. For example, see in FIG. 8that no content is currently shared on display 18 a and that only button120 b is illuminated yellow in interface 76 b (e.g., the other interfacebuttons 122 b, 124 b and 126 b are not hatched and therefore notilluminated). Yellow button 120 b indicates that the user's device islinked to system 10 and that the user is able to share content ondisplay 18 a if button 120 b is selected. See in FIG. 9 that once afirst user 89 b selects button 120 b, content 210 for that user isshared on display 18 a and button 120 b is now illuminated green (e.g.,double cross hatched) while button 122 b is illuminated yellow toindicate that user 89 b can also open a second filed on display 18 a toshare content on in a second field.

In some cases a frame indicator may be presented on a common displayaround each presented content field to help system users mentallyconnect control interface buttons to the display 18 a. For instance, seein FIG. 8 that a yellow (e.g., left up to right hatched) frame 130 ispresented around an instructional field 19 to indicate that field 19 isassociated with the similarly yellow illuminated button 120 b oninterface 76 b which is selectable to share content in field 19. See inFIG. 9 that a frame indicator 136 has been changed to green (e.g.,double diagonal hatched) to associate content field 210 with now greenbutton 120 b and that an “Add Field” field icon 240 is presented ondisplay 18 a as a selectable option associated with now yellow button122 b.

Where two content sharing fields are simultaneously presented on display18 a, in at least some embodiments, it is contemplated that adifferently colored frame may be presented for each sharing field wherethe frame colors match interface button colors to help users mentallyassociate specific buttons with specific sharing fields. For instance,see FIG. 11 where green buttons 120 b and 120 f at stations 60 b and 60f are associated with field 210 that is circumscribed by green frame 136and where blue buttons 122 b and 122 f at stations 60 b and 60 f areassociated with field 212 that is circumscribed by blue frame 137. Thus,in FIG. 11, a first attendee 89 b at station 60 b can mentallyassociate, via color, buttons 120 b and 122 b with fields 210 and 212and a second attendee 89 f at station 60 f has the same capability.

In still other cases, at least some set of indicators at each userstation 60 a through 60 g may provide some type of indication of whichattendee at a meeting is currently controlling content on display 18 aor in each of the content sharing fields on display 18 a when more thanone field is presented. For instance, see FIG. 12 where first, secondand third system users 89 b, 89 f and 89 d, respectively, are located atstations 60 b, 60 f and 60 d. In some embodiments, a separate color maybe associated with each user that attends a meeting. For instance, thecolors green, blue and pink may be associated with the first, second andthird attendees 89 b, 89 f and 89 d, respectively. Instead of a contentsharing state being indicated by green light for each meeting user(e.g., where any shared content is indicated by green light framed,buttons, bars, etc.), sharing states for the first, second and thirdattendees may be indicated by their assigned colors green, blue andpink, respectively, and those assigned colors may be indicated by thelight bars or some other indicator device at each user station that isviewable by users at other stations. Thus, for instance, in FIG. 12where users 89 b, 89 f and 89 d are sharing content in fields 210, 212and 214 respectively, in addition to presenting green, blue and pinkcircumscribing frames 136, 137 and 216 about the content fields andgreen, blue and pink buttons (e.g., see 120 b, 122 b and 124 b in FIG.12) at each of the interfaces, the indicator bars at each occupied userstation also indicate the color assigned to the user at each specificstation. For example, to indicate that second attendee 89 f iscontrolling field 212 content that is framed blue, indicator bars 70 f,72 f and 74 f at station 60 f are illuminated blue (e.g., left down toright hatched). Similarly, to indicate that third attendee 89 d iscontrolling field 214 content that is framed pink, indicator bars 70 d,72 d and 74 d at station 60 d are illuminated pink (e.g., horizontallyhatched).

Referring still to FIG. 12, consider the first user 89 b's instantaneousexperience as illustrated. First user 89 b can confirm that she issharing content in field 210 by seeing that her assigned color is greenas indicated by bar indicators 70 b, 72 b and 74 b that match greenframe 136. First user 89 b can also see the blue and pink colored frames137 and 216 about field 212 and 214 and the bar indicators at stations60 f and 60 d that are blue and pink, respectively, and can discern thatsecond user 89 f and third user 89 d are controlling the content infields 212 and 214, respectively. Looking at her interface 76 b, firstuser 89 b also sees green, blue and pink buttons 120 b, 122 b and 124 bthat are color coded to match the colors assigned to the first, secondand third attendees as indicated by the station bar indicators (e.g., 70b, 72 b and 74 b; 70 f, 72 f and 74 f; and 70 d, 72 d and 74 d) so thatfirst user 89 b can discern from interface 76 b who is controlling whichfield on display 18 a. In addition, fourth button 126 b on interface 76b is illuminated yellow as an invitation to first user 89 b to open anaddition or fourth field for sharing on display 18 a.

In FIG. 12, if first user 89 b selects first button 120 b to yield field210, field 210 would be eliminated from display 18 a and fields 212 and214 are rearranged for side by side centered presentation as shown inFIG. 13. In addition, upon yielding field 210 in FIG. 12, the controlindicator bars 70 b, 72 b and 74 b are colored yellow as shown in FIG.13 to indicate that first user 89 b remains connected to system 10 forsharing but is not currently sharing. Moreover, because only two fieldsare presented on display 18 a, the fourth button 126 b on interface 76 bis not illuminated as a fourth field is not presented as an option ondisplay 18 a until a third sharing field has been created. Furthermore,interface 76 b buttons 120 b, 122 b and 124 b are colored blue, pink andyellow to indicate second user 89 f control of field 137, third usercontrol of field 214, and to invite the first user to open a third fieldon display 18 a for sharing content.

While USB-C ports that require USB-C cables are optimal in manyembodiments, it is understood that, for at least the foreseeable future,legacy portable devices will persist that simply cannot link up to thesystem 10 via USB-C ports. For this reason, in at least some cases,other source device to system 10 linking technologies or functions maybe supported in system 10. For example referring again to FIGS. 1through 3, in at least some embodiments a control assembly includingcontrol devices linked to cable assemblies may be provided as at 32 inaddition to the USB-C ports. U.S. Pat. No. 9,492,008 which issued onNov. 15, 2016 and which is titled “Personal Control Apparatus And MethodFor Sharing Information In A Collaborative Setting” is incorporatedherein in its entirety by reference and teaches one control assemblytype that may be installed at 32. Here, it should suffice to say thatthe control assembly represented in FIG. 1 by a single control puckdevice 36 includes at least one and perhaps two or more cable and puckassemblies that can be retracted into a storage compartment through anopening at 32 or pulled out of the opening to be linked to a laptop orother portable device if desired. Thus, any user of system 10 will havethe choice to link to either one of the USB-C ports 35 or to one of thecontrol cable assemblies that includes a controller 36.

In at least some cases, it is contemplated that each or at least one ofthe cables linked to control device 36 may constitute a USB-C connectorso that even the cabled control assembly at 32 is more robust. Where thecontrol device 36 cables are USB-C type cables, overall system costshould be reduced, robustness of the system should increase andmaintenance costs in both time and money should be reduced appreciably.In addition, where USB-C cables link a user device to system 10, eventhrough a mechanical subassembly 36, power can be provided via the USB-Ccable to the linked source device.

As another example, in at least some cases a system 10 may also beuseable with a wireless area network to receive control commands fromuser devices and to control virtual interfaces on user device displaysto indicate current control states. To this end, see again FIG. 1 thatincludes an area wireless system represented by access points 16. U.S.patent application Ser. No. 15/078,633 which has been incorporated aboveby reference teaches a wireless content sharing system where user's canlink their portable source devices to a content sharing system which maybe provided in addition to the USB-C ports or in addition to both theUSB-C ports 35 and the cabled control assembly located at 32.

As another example, referring again to FIG. 3, in at least someembodiments a separate near field communication (NFC) sensor device 80(see also FIG. 6) may be integrated into the tabletop assembly 24 ateach of the user stations 60 a through 60 g. Each user laptop or otherportable computing device may include an RF ID tag or device or mayoperate a wireless identifier application that can cooperate with an NFCsensor 80 to form an association between the user's portable sourcedevice and the station (e.g., 60 b) at which the sensing NFC sensor islocated. Thus, when a user places her source device in a specific NFCsensor zone 83 (shown in phantom in FIG. 3), the sensor may sense theuser source device and associate the sensor device station with thespecific user source device. Once a user's source device is associatedwith a specific station, the source device may communicate with systemprocessor 100 through the NFC sensor or through some other transceiverintegrated into the table assembly that only wirelessly communicateswithin the user station space and therefore only with the user'sassociated source device.

In other cases, wireless communication for content sharing and statesignaling may be via the area wireless system 16 once a user's sourcedevice is associated with a particular station (e.g., 60 b). Thus,initial association may be via a station specific NFC sensor integratedinto the table assembly 12 and wireless communication between processor100 and a source device may be via the area wireless network. In thiscase, the NFC sensor devices in table assembly 12 may reaffirm that auser's device is at a station periodically (e.g., every 5 seconds) and,if a user's source device is not at a station during one or aconsecutive set (e.g., three consecutive) affirm attempts, processor 100may delink the user's device and remove any content shared thereby fromthe common display 18 a.

As yet one other example, it has been recognized that in many cases oneor more meeting attendees may not bring personal portable computingdevices to a meeting. For instance, some attendees may not have portablepersonal devices for sharing content. In other cases an attendee maysimply neglect to bring her portable source device or may purposefullynot bring her device to a meeting. Despite arriving at a system 10 for ameeting without a personal device, an attendee that still wants to sharesome content should have the ability to do so. For this reason, in atleast some cases one or more interfaces that fully enable an attendee toaccess her personal data, documents and digitally stored files may beintegrated into system 10 in addition to the ports 35 and other linkagesystems described above. In FIG. 1, first and second exemplaryintegrated content accessing interface assemblies are indicates at 40and 42. The first interface assembly 40 is mounted in a tabletop opening28 for movement between a stored position and a use position. Similarly,second interface assembly 42 is mounted in a tabletop opening 30 formovement between a stored position and a use position. Second interfaceassembly 42 is shown in the stored position while first interfaceassembly 40 is shown in an opened or use position.

Each of the interface assemblies 40 and 42 has a similar constructionand operates in a similar fashion and therefore, in the interest ofsimplifying this explanation, only assembly 40 will be described here inany detail. Interface assembly 40 includes a flat panel display screenthat has a front emissive surface and an oppositely facing rear surfacethat is flat and completely planar and that, in at least someembodiments, is finished with the same type of material used to providetabletop surface 26. In some embodiments, the assembly 40 display screenmay be mounted near a bottom edge near the rear of the opening 28 sothat the top end thereof can rotate about a horizontal axis between thestored position with the rear surface material substantially flush withthe tabletop surface 26 (see 42 in FIG. 1) and an open or use positionextending upward from the rear portion of opening 28 at a slightrearward angle with the display emissive surface facing a user positionalong the front edge 21 of top member 24. In some embodiments, oncerotated upward, the screen may also slide a few inches downward so thatit sinks part way into opening 28 so that the top edge of the displaymoves down and the interface is less pronounced when in the useposition.

In some embodiments a portion of the tabletop between opening 28 and theadjacent tabletop edge 21 may include an emissive surface (see phantomat 77 in FIG. 1) and, when interface 40 is placed in the open useposition, the emissive surface may automatically provide an virtualinterface tools for accessing and controlling personal digital contentassociated with a system user. In some cases, the virtual tools mayinclude a virtual keyboard where keys are selectable via touch like aconventional mechanical keyboard.

In other cases, instead of providing an emissive surface that is flushwith the tabletop surface 26, a capacitive keyboard may be integrateddirectly into the tabletop structure like the other interface buttons120 b, 122 b, etc., described above where a top layer of the tabletopassembly 24 covers the keyboard and where light devices within thekeyboard light up so that the keys and board are visible through thetabletop top surface when the keys are illuminated but are indiscerniblewhen the board is not illuminated. Here, again, the keyboard mayautomatically light up and persistently remain lit once interface 40 ismoved to the use position. In either of the emissive surface keyboard orthe capacitive integrated keyboard cases, the keyboard may persist for aperiod while not in use and may fade off or its intensity may be reducedonce a threshold period of non-use occurs. Here, a simple initial touchmay restore the keyboard to its brightest setting so that the keyboardis useable.

In still other cases it is contemplated that one or more wirelessmechanical keyboards 44 a, 44 b (see again FIG. 1) may be providedwithin a space in which system 10 is located for use with interfaces 40,42, etc. Here, when a keyboard is placed on the surface portion betweeninterface 40 and adjacent edge 21, the keyboard may automatically pairwith interface 40 as opposed to other integrated interfaces (e.g., 42).To this end, in at least some cases it is contemplated that keyboard 44a may have an RF ID attached and a near field communication (NFC) sensordevice (see again phantom 77 in FIG. 1) may be integrated into thetabletop assembly 24. When the RF ID is in the sensing field of the NFCsensor, system processor 100 may automatically pair the keyboard withinterface 40 and may provide some visual or audible feedback like, forinstance, a pairing confirmation message via interface 40, by lightingup some integrated light device under the tabletop top translucent layeror material or by illuminating an LED or the like within the keyboarditself.

In still other cases it is contemplated that an interface integratedinto the table assembly 12 may include a completely emissive horizontalsurface at a user station that a user may associate. In this regard,U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/995,367 which is titled “EmissiveShapes And Control Systems” and which was filed on Jan. 1, 2016describes an emissive table structure that provides desktop content toan associated user and that application is incorporated herein in itsentirety by reference and any of the teachings therein may be used toprovide a fully emissive table integrated interface at station 60 d orat station 60 e or at any of the other stations.

Referring yet again to FIG. 1, in the illustrated embodiment first andsecond integrated interfaces 40 and 42 are provided proximate each otherand near the front edge 12 of the top member opposite the display 18 aalong the rear edge 23. Here, it is contemplated that in most cases theoptimal location(s) for viewing display 18 a will be at the tabletop endopposite the display and therefore users at stations 60 d and 60 e mayhave optimal locations.

In at least some embodiments it is contemplated that each station thatincludes an integrated interface may also include other system componentdescribed above so that a user can use her personal portable computingdevice instead of the table integrated devices at a station thatincludes integrated devices if she prefers. For instance, in FIGS. 1through 3, a user that assumes a position at station 60 e may choose toleave integrated interface 42 in the stored position and may insteadlink her laptop (not illustrated) to USB-C port 35 e or may rely on awireless NFC initiated connection to link to the system at station 60 e.

In at least some embodiments, once interface 40 and an associatedkeyboard are activated, a user may be prompted for a user name andpassword so that the station interface 40 can be associated with thespecific user thereby enabling the user to access her personal digitallystored data, documents, files and software applications for accessingother data and information.

In cases where a user wirelessly (e.g., without connection to one of theports 35 or via a cabled assembly at 32) associates her portable sourcedevice with a specific user station, once associated with the station,all control interface components and state indicators associated withthe station may be enabled to provide functionality for the associatedsource device. Thus, for instance, in FIG. 3, if laptop 50 a iswirelessly associated with station 60 b via an NFC pairing or the likeas described above, the user interface control buttons that compriseinterface 76 b may be presented (e.g., light devices associatedtherewith may be illuminated) and activated so that that those buttonscan be used to control content sharing from laptop 50 a to commondisplay 18 a. Similarly, sharing capability and sharing states forlaptop 50 a may be indicated by any of the indicating light devices orassemblies described above once device 50 a is paired with station 60 b.For instance, buttons 120 b, 122 b, 124 b and 126 b may be illuminatedwith different colors to indicate sharing capability as well as sharingstate as described above and in greater detail hereafter. As anotherinstance, the station defining light devices 70 b, 72 b and 74 b may beilluminates to indicate capability and state in a similar fashion. Thus,in some cases, for instance, a user may move her laptop 50 a into theNFC sensing zone 83 associated with NFC sensor 80 so that the sensorsenses the user's laptop and associates the laptop with station 60 b.Once laptop 50 a is associated with station 60 b, laptop may wirelesslycommunicate with system processor 100 for content sharing purposes whilethe NFC sensor is used to persistently confirm that laptop 50 a remainslocated at station 60 a. Upon initial laptop to station pairing, LEDs orother light devices at 70 b, 72 b and 74 b as well as a light deviceassociated with button 120 b may be illuminated yellow to confirm thepairing and also to indicate that the user can share her desktop ondisplay 18 a by selecting button 120 b. Once button 120 b is selected toshare content, the content from laptop source device 50 a may bepresented on display 18 a and the indicator lights at 70 b, 72 b and 74b as well as at button 120 b may be illuminated green to indicatecontent sharing in the first field on display 18 a. Many other stateindicating protocols are contemplated.

In still other embodiments a user's portable source device may beautomatically (or based on a user selection) paired with a user stationso that the source device provides a sharing interface while a tableintegrated emissive surface or display presents a users desktop at theuser's paired station. To this end, see, for instance the tabletcomputing device 99 shown in FIG. 3. Here, similar to the laptop 50 athat may include an RF ID tag or that may run an application programuseable to associate with a user station via NFC sensing, tablet device99 may include a similar RF ID tag or may run a similar applicationprogram. In this case, once a user's tablet device is associated with astation such as, for instance, station 60 d, the user's desktop imagemay be automatically presented on integrated display 40 while user inputtools are provided as a virtual interface on the user's tablet device 99display screen. The interface tools may include a virtual keyboardand/or a content sharing interface (e.g., akin to interface 76 b shownin FIG. 3). In this case, any of the table integrated indicator lightdevices at the associated station 60 d may be used to indicate sharingcapability and sharing states as described above. Thus, user content maybe presented via a station integrated emissive surface, user input tothat station for content sharing and control may be via a paired usertablet type device and sharing capability and states may be indicatedvia station integrated indicating light devices.

Many portable user computers or source devices are now configured toinclude wireless charging components so that the devices can be chargedwhen placed on or proximate a surface associated with a chargingassembly. In at least some embodiments it is contemplated that one, asubset or perhaps all of the user stations will be equipped withcharging assemblies integrated into tabletop assembly 24. To this end,see exemplary charging assembly 82 shown at station 60 b in FIG. 3 (seealso FIG. 6). Here, it is contemplated that whenever a wirelesslychargeable computing device is placed at station 60 b, charging assembly82 will automatically commence charging the proximate device. Successfulcoupling for charging may be indicated via the user's device or via someother table or station integrated indicator, either visually or audiblyor both.

Referring again to FIG. 1, in some embodiments one or more USB-Cconnection ports 35 h may be provided in a second table assembly 190 inthe space that accommodates table assembly 12 where port 35 h is linkedto or associated with system 10 so that a user that is spaced from theedge of tabletop member 24 can also link to system 10 and share content.Here, many of the features and aspects described above with respect totable assembly 12 may also be implemented in assembly 190. For instance,interface buttons 626 and light indicators 624 akin to those describedabove with respect to FIGS. 1 through 3 may be integrated into the topsurface of second table 190. As another instance, an NFC sensor and/orwireless charging assembly (not shown) may be integrated into the secondtable top surface.

Referring again to FIGS. 1 and 6, in at least some cases system 100 mayinclude other sensing devices like, for instance, one or more cameras200 that can be used to generate images or other sensing signals thatprocessor 100 can use to determine user proximity to table assembly 12or even to the separate user stations at the table. While a camera 200is shown as a sensor device, it should be appreciated that two or morecameras may be provided for generating images for tracking userlocations. In addition, the camera is only exemplary of a location orpresence sensing device and other location and presence sensor devicesand assemblies are contemplated. Here, in at least some cases, whenprocessor 100 determines that a user is proximate assembly 10, processor100 may control at least a subset of the table integrated lightindicator devices as well as common display 18 a content in variousways, some of which are described in some detail hereafter.

Referring yet again to FIGS. 1 through 3 and 6, it should be understoodthat many different combinations of system features are contemplated andtherefore many different system embodiments are envisaged. In at leastsome cases, various system linking processes and hardware may beprovided within a single system 10 to accommodate different types ofuser source devices, different corporate linking requirements anddifferent user preferences. For example, in a meeting including sevenlocal attendees, first through third meeting attendees may prefer tolink to system 10 via USB-C cables and ports 35, fourth and fifthattendees may prefer to link to system 10 wirelessly, a sixth attendeemay prefer to link to system 10 via the cabled assembly at 32 and aseventh attendee may not have brought her portable source device and maytherefore have to link to the system via one of the integratedinterfaces 40 or 42.

Next, exemplary control processes or methods for supporting system 10users will be described. In the descriptions that follow, referring toFIG. 7, unless indicated otherwise, it will be assumed that the userstations 60 a through 60 c and 60 e through 60 g each includes theexemplary station affordances described above in the context of userstations 60 b as shown at 69 in FIG. 3 while station 60 d at the frontedge end of table assembly 12 includes all of the station affordancesassociated with above described station 60 b as well as the integratedinterface display 40 where a mechanical keyboard 44 a is used as aninput device. It will also be assumed that first, second and thirdarriving users or attendees 89 b, 89 f and 89 d for a meeting choose tolink to the system via a USB-C port, wirelessly, and via the integratedinterface systems 40/44 a, respectively.

Prior to any user approaching system 10, in at least some cases it iscontemplated that none of the table integrated visual indicators will beilluminated. Here, because no user is linked to system 10, no usercontent is shared on display 18 a. At this time, in at least someembodiments, processor 100 (see again FIG. 6) may be programmed toprovide other content on display 18 a. For instance, other content mayinclude a news feed, a stock ticker, a company social feed, a commercialfor use of system 10, or any other feed that makes sense. Referringagain to FIG. 6, processor 100 may provide a content feed to one of aplurality of switching device inputs and may control the switchingdevice to select that input while in the non-content sharing state.

Referring again to FIG. 7, when first user 89 b approaches system 10,system processor 100 may use images from camera 200 or signals from someother sensor device(s) to identify that the user is approaching system10. Other presence sensor type devices may include, for instance,Bluetooth wireless sensors (see sensor 600 in FIG. 7) integrated intothe table assembly 12 or located within a space egress (e.g., a doorway)into the space that includes the table assembly 12 or at some othersuitable location. Here, users may wear badges or other wearable devicesor may carry smart phone or other personal portable computing devicesthat are detectable via Bluetooth communication so that the users can bedetected within a typical Bluetooth range of the table assembly 12. Insome cases the Bluetooth range will be limited to within a shortdistance (e.g., 6 feet) from table assembly 12 so that user detectionproximate assembly 12 may only be indicated when a user is relativelyclose to tabletop 26

Referring again to FIG. 7, in some embodiments, if user 89 b is locatedwithin 8 feet of tabletop 26 and is moving toward system 10, processor100 may ascertain that the user is approaching table assembly 12. Upondetermining that user 89 b is approaching assembly 12, processor 100 mayselect user station 60 b as an optimal station at which to locate thefirst arriving user 89 b and may illuminate (see vertical hatching ofindicator bars 70 b, 72 b and 74 b indicating red illumination) orotherwise indicate station 60 b and no other stations to encourage firstuser 89 b to assume a position at station 60 b. Here, in at least somecases the optimal first station to encourage may be predefined based onsome rules of thumb. For instance, in most cases at least two users willuse a system 10 at the same time and an optimal positioning of two usersmay generally be along opposite lateral edges 25 and 27 of tabletop 26so that first and second arriving attendees face each other. For thisreason, in FIG. 7, the first arriving user 89 b is encouraged to assumea position at lateral edge station 60 b and the second arriving userwill eventually be encouraged to assume a position across tabletop 26from the first attendee at station 60 f.

In other cases, every available station that is not already associatedwith a user may be lit up red to offer those stations to a newlyarriving user. In FIG. 7, while station 60 b is lit up red to encouragefirst user 89 b to assume a position at that station, in at least somecases it is contemplated the first user 89 b may be able to assume aposition at any of the user stations 60 a through 60 g that is notcurrently associated with some other user. In FIG. 7, for instance, ifuser 89 b were to move over to and assume a position at station 60 g,processor 100 would be programmed to turn off indicator bar 70 b, 72 band 74 b illumination and to instead illuminate station 60 g indicatorbars red until user 89 b links to system 10 for sharing content, atwhich time, consistent with the description above, processor 100illuminates the station 60 g indicator bars yellow to indicate linkagefor sharing but an instantaneous non-sharing state.

In cases where a user wears a badge or other wearable device or carriesa portable computing device that is capable of some type of audible orvisual indication, upon detecting the user proximate the table assembly12, the system processor may transmit an indicator control signal to theuser's device causing the device to generate a “welcome” type indicationprior to actual arrival at the edge of tabletop 26. The welcomeindicator may be simple such as illuminating an LED indicator on a badgein a way that is associated with a welcome message. In other cases thewelcome indicator may be more sophisticated such as, for instance, ascreen shot presented on a smart phone device display screen thatwelcomes the user to the assembly 12.

In at least some cases low energy Bluetooth or other similar low energywireless communication may be used to sense users and start thewelcoming process and, once a user is linked to the system for sharingcontent and for other purposes, wireless communication between theuser's computing device and the system processor may be via some morerobust wireless protocol such as, for instance, near field communication(NFC).

Referring to FIG. 8, in the present example first user 89 b moves tostation 60 b and uses a USB-C cable to link her portable laptop computerto station USB-C port 35 b and hence to system 10 for content sharing.To indicate that content sharing is enabled but that no content isinstantaneously shared, the circumscribing frame 130 about a contentfield 19 on display 18 a is illuminated yellow as is the first controlbutton 120 b on interface 76 b at station 60 b. In addition, to furtherindicate that the first user's source device is linked to the system forsharing but is not instantaneously sharing, the station indicator bars70 b, 72 b and 74 b are changed from red to yellow. Notice that onlyindicator bars and the interface buttons at occupied or user associatedstations are illuminated in this example. Thus, in FIG. 8, because onlythe first user 89 b is present at system 10, only the station 60 bassociated with first user 89 b is illuminated. Similarly, in FIG. 12,because first, second and third users 89 b, 89 f and 89 d are located atstations 60 b, 60 f and 60 d, only stations 60 b, 60 f and 60 d areilluminated.

Referring again to FIG. 8, instructions to select the yellow illuminatedbutton 120 b are presented at 132 on display 18 a. Consistent with thedescription above, in this embodiment other interface buttons 122 b, 124b and 126 b are not illuminated and, in at least some embodiments, wouldnot be viewable through the translucent top layer member of tabletop 26at this point.

Referring now to FIG. 9, upon selecting first interface button 120 b topresent her desktop image on large common display 18 a, the first user89 b's content is presented in field 210, button 120 b, the indicatorbars 70 b, 72 b and 74 b and the circumscribing frame 136 are allchanged from yellow to green to indicate instantaneous content sharing,the “Add Field” option is indicated at 240 for adding a second contentsharing field and each of the Add Field option 240 and the associatedsecond interface button 122 b are illuminated yellow to indicate thatthe first user is linked to share via a second field but is notinstantaneously sharing via that second field. Referring still to FIG.9, first user 89 b may select the green button 120 b a second time torelease first field 210 which would cause the system to revert back tothe state shown in FIG. 8 where no content is shared on display 18 a andwhere the option to share is again presented in the form of yellow firstbutton 120 b shown in FIG. 8.

Referring still to FIG. 9, eventually second user 89 f arrives proximatetable assembly 12 and is sensed by processor 100 using images fromcamera 200. Processor 100 automatically identifies an optimal userstation based on rules of thumb to suggest to second user 89 f. Again,the optimal station for a second user where the first user is located atstation 60 b may be directly across from the first user at station 60 f.Processor 100 illuminates station 60 f to guide second user 89 f to thatstation for use. Again, the second user may be free to take any openuser station along the edge of tabletop 26 despite guidance to usestatin 60 f.

Upon assuming a position at station 60 f, second user 89 f performs somewireless association process to wirelessly link her laptop source deviceto system 100 and more specifically to station 60 f so that indicatorbars 70 f, 72 f and 74 f and the station interface 76 f are associatedwith the second user 89 f's laptop device. For instance, the NFC sensordevice (e.g., see again 80 in FIG. 3) at station 60 f may sense theuser's laptop or other portable computing device on the portion oftabletop surface 26 at station 60 f and may automatically wirelesslyassociate with the user's device. In an alternative embodiment, aninitial association may be automatic resulting in an invitationtransmitted to the user's device to log into the system to create acoupling association for content sharing and state indication betweenthe user's device and station 60 f affordances.

Once the second user's source device is linked to or associated withstation 60 f, system processor 100 changes the color of indicator bars70 f, 72 f and 74 f from red to yellow to indicate that sharing has beenenabled for the second user but that the second user 89 f's sourcedevice is not currently sharing content. In addition, interface 76 f atstation 60 f is illuminated so that first and second control buttons 120f and 122 f are green and yellow to indicate that the first user 89 b iscurrently sharing content in field 210 on display 18 a and that thesecond user 89 f can select the second button 122 f to add a contentsharing field on display 18 a.

Referring now to FIG. 11, with first user 89 b persistently sharingcontent in field 210, second user 89 f selects the second button 122 fat station 60 f to add a second sharing window 212 to display 18 a andto share her desktop image in the second field 212. In addition toopening second sharing field 212, selection of second control button 122f causes processor 100 to change the color of the indicator bars 70 f,72 f and 74 f as well as the second button 122 f from yellow (e.g.,sharing enabled but no instantaneous sharing) to blue (e.g., left downto right hatched where blue is the color assigned to the second user 89f) to indicate that second user 89 f is now sharing content and toclearly present the color associated with second user 89 f for firstuser 89 b and any other users proximate assembly 12 to see. Moreover,the circumscribing frame 137 about field 212 is also colored blue toassociate the content in field 212 with second user 89 f as indicated byindicator bars 70 f, 72 f and 74 f. Furthermore, the appearance of atleast a subset of the control buttons at station 60 b used by first user89 b are also automatically altered to reflect the new content sharingstate of the overall system 10. In this regard, see that buttons 120 b,122 b and 124 b are illuminated green, blue and yellow to indicate firstuser control of field 210, second user control of field 212 and that thefirst user 89 b can open a third sharing field on display 18 a,respectively.

Referring yet again to FIG. 11, at the illustrated point in time, firstuser 89 b has the options to select green button 120 b to remove field210 and her desktop image from display 18 a, select the blue button 122b to replace second user 89 f's content in field 212 with the firstusers desktop image and select the yellow button 124 b to open a thirdfield (not illustrated in FIG. 11) for replicating the content fromfirst field 210. Similarly second user 89 f has the options to selectgreen button 120 f to replace first user 89 b's content in field 210with the second user's desktop image, select blue button 122 f to removefield 212 and her desktop image from display 18 a, and select the yellowbutton 124 f to open a third field (not illustrated in FIG. 11) forreplicating the content from second field 212.

Referring now to FIG. 12, eventually third user 89 d moves into a zoneassociated with table assembly 12 and, after being encouraged to assumea position at a specific user station, obtains a keyboard and assumes aposition at station 60 d. Third user 89 d uses keyboard 44 a to log intothe system and access her application programs, documents, files,multi-media materials, etc. Upon entering a user name and password,third user 89 d is linked for content sharing to system 10 via keyboard44 a and display 40 and the third user's ability to share content viasystem 10 is initially indicated. In this regard, while not shown, uponinitial linking and association with station 60 d, the bar indicators 70d, 72 d and 74 d would be illuminated yellow to indicate connection butno instantaneous sharing. In addition, after associating with station 60d, interface 76 d would replicate the interfaces 76 b and 76 f presentedto first and second users 89 b and 89 f as shown in FIG. 11 to indicateto the third user that first user 89 d and second user 89 f currentlycontrol the first and second content sharing fields 210 and 212 and thatthe third user can select a yellow third button to add a third sharingfield and to present her instantaneous desktop image in the third field.

FIG. 12 shows a state after third user 89 d has selected the thirdbutton 124 d on interface 76 d to open the third sharing field and sharethe third attendee's desktop. Upon selection of button 124 d to sharecontent, in addition to opening third field 214 on common display 18 a,processor 100 provides the pink circumscribing frame 216 about field214, turns the bar indicators 70 d, 72 d and 74 d at station 6 d pink toindicate the third user 89 d's assigned color and to indicateassociation between the third user 89 d and the content shared in field214, turns each of the third control buttons 124 b, 124 f and 124 d blueto indicate third user control of the third field and illuminates eachfourth button 126 b, 126 f and 126 d yellow to offer the option to add afourth shared field for content sharing.

Referring again to FIG. 12, with the system in the illustrated state,the first attendee has the options to select green button 120 b to yieldfirst field 210 and remove her desktop image from display 18 a, selectone or both of the blue button 122 b and the pink button 124 b toreplace the second user 89 f's desktop image and the third user 89 d'sdesktop image with the first user's desktop image, or to select fourthyellow button 126 b to open a fourth sharing field and to replicate thefirst user's desktop image in the fourth field. The second and thirdusers 89 f and 89 d have a similar four options. Again, FIG. 13 showsthe state of system 10 if first user 89 b selects the first green button120 b to yield field 210.

In still other embodiments it is contemplated that different tabletopshapes and different numbers of common display screens may be providedas part of an overall content sharing system. For instance, see FIG. 14that shows another system embodiment including a table assemblyrepresented by top member 150, first and second common display screensor displays 18 a and 18 b and a plurality of task chairs to supportlocal system users. Although not shown, the system in FIG. 14 would alsoinclude components similar to those described above with respect to FIG.6. Tabletop 150 includes straight short and parallel first and secondend edges 260 and 262 and first and second lateral edges 262 and 266that each include two straight side edge sections that form a convexoutward shape between the two end edge portions 260 and 262. Twelve userstations are located along the lateral edges as illustrated where onlyone user station 60 b is labelled. The first and second display 18 a and18 b are arranged along the short end edges 260 and 262, respectively,to face each other and generally face the space above tabletop 150.

Referring still to FIG. 14, each of the user stations at table assembly150 is similar and operated in a similar fashion and therefore, in theinterest of simplifying this explanation, only station 60 b will bedescribed here in any detail. Station 60 b in FIG. 14 is similar tostation 60 b described above with respect to FIG. 3 with one exception.In at least some embodiments that include more than one sharable displayscreen 18 a, 18 b, a separate control interface may be provided for eachof the common displays. In this regard, see that station 60 b includesfirst interface 76 b 1 and second interface 76 b 2 arranged on oppositesides of the station, the first interface 76 b 1 on the same side asdisplay 18 a controllable thereby and the second interface 76 b 2 on thesame side as display 18 b controllable thereby. In its illustratedstate, no common content is presented on either of the first or seconddisplays 18 a and 18 b and therefore, the only button illuminated oneach of the displays is a yellow button 120 b 1 and 120 b 2 offering theuser the options to present content on either display. Here, the firstuser may select one or both buttons 120 b 1 and 120 b 2 to present herdesktop on either the first or second or both displays 18 a and 18 b.Similar dual interfaces at each user station where the interfaces aregenerally positioned in an intuitive location with respect to associatedcommon sharing displays are contemplated.

Referring again to FIG. 6, in particularly advantageous embodimentsswitching device 104 includes some type of programmable video processingdevice as opposed to a pure hardware based switching device. Oneparticularly advantageous and currently available programmable videoprocessing device includes a field programmable gate array (FPGA)switching device. While other types of programmable switching devicesare contemplated, unless indicated otherwise, hereafter the switchingdevice 104 will be referred to as an FPGA in the interest of simplifyingthis explanation. Exemplary FPGA switching devices that may be used withsystem 10 include devices manufactured by Black Magic Design PTY. LTD.,a company based in Australia. The advantage of an FPGA device is thatthe device can be configured and reconfigured after manufacture andhence, in the “field” after deployment. In short, an FPGA switchingdevice includes an array of programmable logic blocks and a hierarchy ofreconfigurable interconnects that allow the blocks to be wired togethersimilar to the way digital logic gates can be inter-wired in differentconfigurations. FPGA device 104 is linked to the system processor orcomputer 100 which is in turn linked to the internet or other network110.

One advantage associated with the FPGA switching device 104 is that thedevice can be delivered to an installation site and then, based onspecific characteristics of a system 10 being configured, the switchingdevice 104 can be programmed in the field to support different systemrequirements. For instance, a specific FPGA switching device 104 may beconfigured to drive either the FIG. 1 system or the FIG. 14 systemdespite each system supporting different numbers of user stations.

Another advantage associated with FPGA devices is that the devices canbe reconfigured after installation. For instance, in FIG. 1 an initialinstallation may only include table assembly 12 and, thereafter, theadditional side table 190 may be added to system 10 to allow anadditional user device linkage. In this case, an originally installedFPGA switching device 104 may be reconfigured to add the additionalinput and switching functionality to support side table assembly 190.

One other advantage associated with FPGA devices is that those devicescan be programmed and reprogrammed remotely. To this end, referringagain to FIG. 6, a remote computer 300 can be linked via the internet orsome other network device 110 to the system processor 100 and in turn toFPGA switching device 104 for troubleshooting any system 10 malfunctionsor for reconfiguring to support additional or less functionality.

Yet one other advantage associated with FGPA devices is that thosedevices typically have more capability than required for a contentsharing system like those contemplated here and therefore an FPGA devicehas built in redundant capabilities so that, if a switching path throughthe FPGA device 104 fails for some reason, the switching device cantypically be reconfigured to provide the failed functionality via someother device path.

One other advantage to an FPGA device 104 is that new devices have theability to be programmed to soften graphic effects that occur when videosources are switched or output video is reconfigured. For instance,instead of simply replacing one video input from a first user sourcedevice with a second input from a second user source device, at leastsome FPGAs can be programmed to have special replacement effects likehaving a first input video move off to the right on a common display anda second input video move on to the common display from the left. Asanother instance, the first video input may fade to dark and then thesecond video input may fade from dark to on to replace the first userinput with the second user input. Many other switching graphics effectsare contemplated.

Referring yet again to FIG. 6, dedicated system processor or computer100 can be used within system 10 in several different ways. In additionto receiving control commands from user interfaces, controllingswitching device 104, providing user output via interface or stateindicating devices, facilitating network linkage and operating as asurrogate to support users that do not have personal portable computingdevices to link to system 10, computer 100 may also operate as a datafeed to switching device 104 to provide a content feed as suggestedabove. Here, again, the content feed may include any data feed ofinterest including a running news feed, an instructional video orcommercial associated with system 10, a company news feed, etc.

In addition, in at least some embodiments, computer 100 may beprogrammed to operate along with switching device 104 to combine two ormore input videos to effectively overlap one input on another therebyadding decorative or functional graphics on a common display to presenta richer and more detailed content sharing experience. For instance,referring again to FIG. 11, in at least some embodiments, thecircumscribing boarder frames 136, 137, etc., may be generated byproviding the frame graphics as a separate input to FPGA switchingdevice 104 which then presents those graphics as an overlay over thecontent field including user shared content. Here, the computer may alsoreceive information regarding which user is presenting in each field andmay provide a name or other indicator within the borders for each fieldto indicate current control. When control switches from one source toanother, the computer may present an indicator overlay indicating who istaking control of a presentation field (e.g., the indicator overlay mayfade on and then off for 4 seconds to indicate the new controllingsource or associated attendee). As another example, a stock ticker orother data feed as seen at 302 in FIG. 11 may be added as an overlay toshared content in common display fields. The overlay may also includeborders or other display screen artifacts that define the outputinterface such as a toolbar. Many other graphics and content basedoverlays and combinations with shared user content are contemplated.Computer 100 may also operate as a link to a telepresence system toreceive one or more live video feeds of remote meeting participants andfeed that video to one or more fields on common display 18 a. Inaddition, it may be possible for dedicated computer 100 to receivecontrol commands from a dedicated system mouse or other input interfacedevice to recognize at least a subset of content control commands.

In still other embodiments other interface assemblies that areintegrated into a tabletop are contemplated. For instance, instead ofhaving integrated illuminated buttons like interfaces 76 b, 76 f, etc.,in other embodiments each interface may include a dedicated touchsensitive flat panel display having a top surface that is flush with thetabletop surface. To this end, see FIG. 15 where the illuminated buttontype interfaces described above have been replaced by touch screen 276b, 276 f, etc. In this case, because interfaces 276 b, 276 f, etc., aregraphic and fully controllable, the sharing options can be reflected ina more elegant way. For example, at a time when no content is shared asin FIG. 15, in at least some cases, the entire touch surface of eachinterface may present a single selectable yellow button inviting eachuser to share content. Here, if first user 89 b shares content, eachtouch interface 276 b and 276 f is modified to include two buttons, afirst colored green to indicate that first user 89 b is controlling theinstantaneously shared content and a second colored yellow that isselectable to open a second sharing field and to share content in thesecond field automatically. To this end see the interfaces 276 b and 276f in FIG. 16.

Other content control features may also be available via the integratedinterface devices 276 b such as, ability to zoom in and out on sharedcontent in one of the common fields, ability to annotate content,ability to store specific content for persistent association with aspecific session or project, etc. None of the tools required to supportthese functions are shown in the figures but each would be provided asvirtual control buttons and tools in at least some embodiments.

In addition to enabling more elegant control interfaces with thefunctionality described above, display screen type interfaces like 276 bcan be used to facilitate more complex content sharing features andfunctions. For example, in at least some cases it is contemplated that asingle user may want to share a first content set in a common displayfield but may want to access other content via her portable computingsource device. Thus, for instance, referring again to FIG. 16, whilefirst user 89 b is sharing content in field 210, first user 89 b maywant to access and use or preview other content on her portable laptop290.

To facilitate sharing a first content set while previewing or otherwiseaccessing a second content set, in at least some cases system processor100 may be programmed to present additional “persistent” sharing optionsvia the graphic touch sensitive interfaces 276 b, 276 f, etc., to a userwhenever the user shares content. In some embodiments, two differenttypes of persistent content sharing are contemplated includingpersistent desktop image sharing and persistent application sharing. Inthe case of persistent image sharing, a user may decide to freeze aninstantaneous image of the users desktop in a common sharing field. Inthis case, while the selected image is frozen in the common field, theuser may use her desktop to perform any other process includingmodifying the frozen image on her computer, accessing other images,documents, etc., running any application programs, to access theinternet or some other communication network or database, etc. In thesecases, because the shared image is frozen, as the user accesses othercontent on her laptop, the image in the shared field remains unchangeduntil replaced by any user that selects the field occupied by the frozenimage to share other content or until some other user takes control ofthe field in which the shared image is presented. Thus, for instance, ifa user freezes the output of a video application while the applicationis instantaneously presenting a video, while the video will continue toprogress on the user's laptop, once the user freezes the common fieldimage, the video output remains frozen in the common field as a stillimage until the field is closed out or the image is replaced by othercontent.

In the case of persistent application sharing, a user may decide tocause her instantaneous desktop to “persist” in a common display fieldwhile the user accesses other content via her portable source device290. Here, the term “persist” means that all applications or otherdynamic content that comprises the user's instantaneous desktop remainsactive and operational even as the user that shared the persistentdesktop accesses other content or runs other applications on her device290. Thus, for instance, if a video application is present on a user'sdesktop and is showing a first video when that user causes her desktopto persist, the video application and instantaneous video presentedthereby would remain in the common sharing field even if the user opensand maximizes a word processor application on her laptop device 290.

In the case of a persistent desktop, in at least some cases, anyapplication providing output to a user's desktop when the desktoppersist option is selected may continue to operate on the user'sportable source device to generate persistent output to system switchingdevice 104 even if the user minimizes or even closes out the applicationon her portable source device 290. Thus, for instance, in the aboveexample, if first user 89 b is running a video program to generate avideo when a desktop persist option is selected, that application maycontinue to run on first user 89 b's source device 290 to drive thecommon sharing field 210 despite first user 89 b minimizing or evenclosing out the video application on her device. In effect, the videoapplication in this example simply continues to operate in thebackground on device 290 even though the first user may be unaware ofits operation.

In other cases, the system processor or computer 100 (see again FIG. 6)may have access to one or several common application programs stored inmemory 102 so that processor 100 can run at least some applications toprovide output to drive the common display fields when a user selects adesktop persist option. In these cases, when a user selects a persistoption while an application program is running to generate content forthe user's desktop, instead of the user's portable source devicepersistently running the application in the background, contentassociated with the application (e.g., a video file) may be transmittedfrom the source device to system memory 102 and may be used to drive theapplication program operating on system computer 100. The file transfermay happen immediately upon a user running the file in a source deviceapplication so that if the user selects the desktop persist option, theapplication program on the system computer 100 is ready to go. In thealternative, file transfer may occur upon selection of an applicationfreeze option.

Referring now to FIG. 16, high definition touch panel emissive surfaceor display interfaces 276 b and 276 f are shown where first user 89 b issharing content in common field 210, where indicator bars 70 b, 72 b and74 b are green to indicate content sharing as well as to present thecolor associated with first user 89 b and where the circumscribing frame136 and first selectable control buttons 160 b and 160 f on each of theinterfaces 276 b and 276 f are also colored green to indicate who (e.g.,the first user 89 b) is currently sharing content in field 210. Eachinterface 276 b and 276 f also includes a second selectable controlbutton 162 b and 162 f colored yellow offering the option to open asecond sharing field on display 18 a.

In cases where interfaces include high definition emissive surfaces(e.g., 276 b in FIG. 15), in at least some cases the interface will beused to support many different space and affordance capabilities inaddition to the content sharing capabilities described in thisspecification. For instance, in some cases lighting, space HVAC, spaceaudio systems and other capabilities may be controllable via interface276 b by accessing other application programs. In some cases at leastsome of those other capabilities and systems may be tied to the contentsharing system so that affordances associated therewith are controlledautomatically in concert with the content sharing system. For instance,in some cases ambient light devices mounted to a ceiling, in walls,etc., may be linked to the content sharing system and automaticallycontrolled by the system processor or server to adjust lighting effectsbased on content sharing states. For example, initially ambient lightingmay be bright to help users move about in a space associated with aconfiguration 10 and, once users are seated as sensed by a space cameraor the like, the lighting about the periphery of the space may be dimmedto help users focus on shared content. In this case, when a user gets upfrom a seated position during a content sharing session for some reason,the ambient peripheral light devices may be fully lit to light theuser's path within the space. Other simultaneous and scripted ambientcontrol schemes are contemplated.

Another application that may be supported by interfaces 276 b and thatmay be integrated with the content sharing system is a content previewapplication that enables a user to view content on a smallersemi-private scale prior to sharing in one of the common large contentsharing fields. In at least some cases it is envisioned that if a firstuser shares a multi-slide presentation (e.g., a Power Pointpresentation) via one of the common display fields (see 210 in FIG. 11),an instance of the full presentation file may be accessible to any otheruser via her interface 276 b so that the users can move backward andforward in the full presentation to review preceding slides and previewsubsequent slides. In other cases it is contemplated that the systemprocessor may maintain a content queue as well as a content history forcontent to be shared and content previously shared during a session orin conjunction with a specific project and that information may beaccessible via interface devices 276 b in some fashion.

Other applications that may be supported by the emissive surfaceinterfaces 276 b include personal notification applications like e-mail,texts, schedule reminders (e.g., next meeting in 5 minutes), currentsession schedule prompts (e.g., 5 minutes left until the end of currentmeeting, offers to extend current session periods, etc.). Yet otherapplications like voting applications, fitness applications, sessioneffectiveness guidance, personal assistant, etc., may further besupported by the emissive surface interfaces. Still one otherapplication type may be one that enables users to control personal orgroup privacy settings that are managed and controlled by some othersystem.

One other application that may be accessed and controlled via interfaces276 b, etc., include a Skype or other telepresence type applicationprogram which may enable telepresence video in addition to contentsharing so that remote user's that link into the system 10 can have avideo presence at the table 12.

In addition, consistent with the discussion above, because first user 89b is sharing content in field 210, interface 276 b presents othercontrol options for controlling the shared content including a “CloseField” option 170, a “Desktop Freeze” option 172 and a “Desktop Persist”option 174. Here, to close out field 210 and remove the first user'sdesktop image therefrom, first user 89 b can select Close Field button170 at which point the system 10 state would revert back to the stateshown in FIG. 15.

Referring still to FIG. 16, if first user 89 b selects Desktop Freezebutton 172, the instantaneous content or image in field 210 freezes andfirst user 89 b is able to use any application program or to access anyother content on her laptop device 290 without having her instantaneousdesktop presented on common surface 18 a. Thus, once Desktop Freezebutton 172 is selected, first user 89 b can use her computer 290 for anypurpose including previewing other content that the first user may wantto share.

If first user 89 b selects Desktop Persist button 174, the applicationoperating in field 210 persists and continues to operate and first user89 b is able to use any application program or to access any othercontent on her laptop device 290 without having her instantaneousdesktop replicated on common surface 18 a.

Upon first user 89 b freezing her desktop or selecting a desktop persistoption, the control options presented via first user interface 276 b arechanged to reflect a different option set and include a “Close Field”option 180 and a “Replicate Desktop” option 182. Close Field option 180is selectable to close out associated field 210 to effectively removethe first user's frozen image from display 18 a and to allow secondfield 220 to be expanded to cover most of the display 18 a surface.Replicate Desktop option 182 is selectable to re-associate the firstuser's instantaneous desktop image on device 290 with first field 210 sothat the user's instantaneous and dynamic desktop is again replicated infield 210.

In at least some cases a single user may be able to share two, three, ormore independent content outputs (e.g., images, files, applicationoutput, etc.) from her portable source device simultaneously. To thisend, in FIG. 16, after first user 89 b freezes an initial content set infield 210, yellow second control button 162 b offers first user 89 b theoption to open a second sharing field in which instantaneous contentfrom the first user's device 290 can be presented. Upon selecting secondbutton 162 b, as shown in FIG. 17, second sharing field 220 is openedand first user 89 b's instantaneous or current desktop image on device290 is replicated in field 220. In addition, to clearly indicate whichuser is sharing content in field 220, frame 139 and second controlbuttons 162 b and 162 f are illuminated green to match first user 89 b'sassigned color as presented by indicator bars 70 b, 72 b and 74 b. Inaddition, third control buttons 164 b and 164 f, both colored yellow,are presented at user stations 60 b and 60 f offering the option to eachof users 89 b and 89 f to open a third sharing field on display 18 a.Furthermore, because first user 89 b is now sharing content in secondfield 220, interface 278 b provides Close Field, Desktop Freeze andDesktop Persist options 184, 186 and 188 that operate as described abovein the context of options 170, 172 and 174.

Referring still to FIG. 17, in the illustrated operating state wherefirst user 89 b has selected a prior desktop persist option so that aprior desktop is presented in field 210 and is sharing her instantaneousdesktop in field 220, first user 89 b has several options includingclosing out first field 210 (se button 180), replicating herinstantaneous desktop image a second time in field 210 (se button 182),closing out second field 220 (see button 184), freezing the second fieldinstantaneous desktop (see button 186), causing the instantaneousdesktop in field 220 to persist (see button 188), and opening a thirdsharing field via selection of button 164 b.

While not shown as sharing content in FIG. 17, second user 89 f has theoptions to select either of buttons 160 f or 162 f to take control ofassociated fields 210 and 220 or to select yellow button 164 f to open athird sharing field. FIG. 18 shows the system state if user 89 f selectsthird control button 164 f. In FIG. 18, third sharing field 230 isopened and presents the second user 89 f's instantaneous desktop. Systemprocessor 100 provides a blue (e.g., left down to right hatched) frame141 about third field 230 and also illuminates third control buttons 164b and 164 f blue to match indicator bars 70 f, 72 f and 74 f at thesecond user 89 f's station. Yellow fourth buttons 166 b and 166 f areprovided at least interface 276 b and 276 f that are selectable to openfourth sharing fields on display 18 a. Because second user 89 f is nowsharing her desktop in field 230, Close Field, Desktop Freeze andDesktop Persist options 196, 197 and 198 are presented that operate inthe fashion described above with respect to similarly labelled optionbuttons in FIG. 17.

Other content sharing options in addition to those described above arecontemplated here. For instance, instead of sharing an entire desktopimage, a system user may only want to share the output of a singleapplication program. FIG. 19 shows exemplary interfaces 276 b and 276 fthat enable users 89 b and 89 f to, in addition to the options describedabove, share only the output from a single application program asopposed to an entire desktop. In this regard, see that user 89 b atstation 60 b has an additional “Share Application” option 350 associatedwith common field 210 which, when selected, causes the output of aninstantaneously active application on user 89 b's source device 290 tobe replicated in field 210. Similarly, first user 89 b has other shareapplication options at 352 and 354 for sharing output of herinstantaneously active application in field 220 on display 18 a and in athird field that opens when option 354 is selected. Interface 276 bfurther presents first user 89 b with a “Replicate Desktop” option 356for the third field to clearly distinguish that option from theapplication sharing option associated with button 354. Second user 89 falso is presented with clear Replicate Desktop and Share Applicationoptions for each of common fields 210 and 220 as well as for a thirdfield that opens if either option associated with button 330 f isselected.

Where a user shares an instantaneously active application in a commonfield, in at least some embodiments, if the user switches over to asecond application on her source device so that the second applicationis active, the initially shared application may persist in the commonfield until replaced by some user or closed by the sharing user. Inother cases, when an active application has been shared and the sharinguser accesses a second application so that the second application isthen active, the shared application in the common field mayautomatically be switched to the second and now currently activeapplication. Thus, in this case, the commonly shared application wouldbe coupled to the currently active application for the sharing user.

In at least some embodiments a single user may share two or moreapplications in two or more different common sharing fields on display18 a or may share an application in one common field and her fulldesktop in a second common field or may share a persistent desktop or afrozen desktop in one field and one or more separate operatingapplications in one or more other common fields.

In at least some cases where a persistent desktop (e.g., a desktop forwhich the desktop persist option has been selected) including at leastone controllable application program is presented in a content sharingfield (e.g., 210), system processor 100 may enable at least one systemuser in addition to the user that caused the desktop to persist tocontrol any applications that appear on the persistent desktop. Forinstance, assume that when a desktop persist option is selected by firstuser 89 b, the persistent desktop includes a maximized word processordocument and application program that includes a standard set of wordprocessor virtual control tools that are selectable to navigate throughthe document, modify the document, save the document, etc. In this case,in at least some embodiments, second user 89 f may be able to operate aninput device to control the word processor application from her station.

FIG. 20 shows a system similar to the system described above withrespect to FIGS. 15 through 18 that includes touch sensitive emissivesurface interfaces 276 b, 276 f, etc., albeit having different controlinterface layouts and options. In FIG. 19, interface 276 b is shown in astate similar to the identically labelled interface 276 b in FIG. 17,albeit where the interface in FIG. 20 includes a touch pad area 330 b(e.g., a dedicated and visually distinguished portion of the interfaceemissive surface) that can be used like a mouse device to move a firstuser control icon 340 b about on the surface of display 18 a. Similarly,interface 276 f in FIG. 20 includes a smaller version of the fieldselection or control buttons at 320 f, 322 f and 324 f as well as atouch pad area 330 f for controlling a second user control icon 340 f ondisplay 18 a. In FIG. 20 all of the interface control buttons that aresimilar to the control buttons described in other interface embodimentsabove operate in a fashion similar to that described above. User controlicons 340 a, 340 b, etc., may only be presented on display 18 a whileassociated touch pad areas are touched by users and for a short timethereafter (e.g., fading out after 5 seconds) so that content on display18 a remains relatively uncluttered.

Any of the table integrated interfaces (e.g., 76 b, 276 b, etc.)described above may be implemented on the display screens that comprisepart of the user source devices. Thus, for instance, interface 276 b inFIG. 18 may be presented as a hovering control tool in the upper righthand corner of first user 89 b's device 290. In cases where theinterfaces are provided on the user device display screens, desktopreplication on display 18 a would not include the virtual interfaces onthe user devices.

One other way contemplated by this application to enable content sharingis to use screen expansion techniques to enable system users toeffectively expand their desktops from their personal portable devicesto include at least portions of common display 18 a or other commondisplays associated with a content sharing system 10. In this regard,see FIG. 21 where first and second portable user computing sourcedevices 350 and 352 are shown at user stations 60 b and 60 f. Here, oncea user associates her device with a specific station, it is contemplatedthat the user's device and system processor 100 will cooperate toeffectively extend the user's device display to include at least aportion of the common display 18 a.

In at least some cases any content a user opens will initially be openedonly on the user's portable device display and not on the common surfacedisplay 18 a. Then, the user may be able to move content from the source350 display to common display 18 a by simply selecting the content via apointing icon on the user's source device display and dragging thecontent off the edge of the source device display and onto commondisplay 18 a. In this regard, see, for instance, pointing icon 340 b inFIG. 21 that user 89 b used to select a window 354 on her device 350display including a first user application program which is shownpartially dragged into a location on display 18 a. Similarly, display 18a shows a first application field 360 that has been dragged onto display18 a from the second user's device 352 and a second application window362 that still persists on the second user's device 352 display. In FIG.21, any time a user drags content to display 18 a, processor 100 framesthe content window with a border having the user's assigned color wherethat color matches the color of the light bars (e.g., 70 b, 72 b, 74 b)at the user's station.

When a first application window is dragged from a source device to theshared common display 18 a, while no other content is shared on display18 a, the dragged window and associated application may be automaticallymaximized on display 18 a. While a first application window andassociated application are presented on display 18 a, if a secondapplication window is dragged from a source device to display 18 a,system server 100 may automatically split display 18 a into two side byside fields, reduce the size of the first application window down to fitin one of the fields and place the second application window in thesecond field. In the alternative, referring to FIG. 22, if a secondapplication window is dragged onto common display 18 a while a firstapplication window is maximized, the first application window size maybe reduced slightly as shown at 370 so that an “Add Field” option 372can be presented. Here, the user dragging the second window onto display18 a may drop the second window onto the Add Field icon 372 or may,instead, drop the second window on the reduced size first window 370.When the second window is at a location where it is aligned with icon372 or window 370, the icon or window may be visually distinguished(e.g., a border about the window may be highlighted to indicatealignment as shown around icon 372). Thus, in this embodiment, any usercan take control of a window or field on the common display 18 a fromany other user in an egalitarian fashion by dragging content to anddropping the content on the field.

In at least some cases it is contemplated that system processor 100 (seeagain FIG. 6) may store a log of shared content that can be accessed toreaccess shared content after the shared content is replaced by othershared content. For instance, referring again to FIG. 11, in some casesa session history scrolling tool may be integrated into the tableassembly 12 at each user station 60 b, 60 f, etc., where the toolincludes reverse and forward arrows 380 b and 382 b, respectively. Here,reverse arrow 380 b may be selectable to step back through sharedcontent sequentially on display 18 a. Similarly, forward arrow 382 b maybe selectable to step forward sequentially through shared content ondisplay 18 a.

In other cases, referring again to FIG. 20, where user controlledpointing icons 340 b, 340 f, etc., are provided on common display 18 a,system computer 100 may present a virtual session scrolling tooldirectly on display 18 a as shown at 390 where, again, reverse andforward arrows 392 and 394 are selectable to move backward and forwardthrough shared session content.

In many cases it is contemplated that if a user scrolls back throughshared session content, when the user attempts to access legacy content,much of that content will no longer be available from the originalsource devices as those devices will instead be presenting other content(e.g., the users will have moved on to viewing other documents, runningother applications, etc.). For this reason, in cases where the systemallows legacy content scrolling, it is envisioned that just before auser's desktop image or application output is removed from the commondisplay 18 a (e.g., closed out or replaced by other content), a still orfrozen snap shot of the content may be obtained and stored in systemmemory 102 (see again FIG. 6) in a session content sequence. Then, whena user moves back through the stored sequence of session content usingtool 390 or some other scrolling tool, system processor 100 can obtainthe sequential snapshot images and present them in order.

In other cases, the stored scrolling sequence may only include desktops,application or documents that currently remain open and viewable on userdevice displays and the scrolling sequence may be automatically culledwhenever one of the documents in the sequence is closed out on a user'sportable source device. For instance, where first user 89 b shares aword processor document via display field 210 in FIG. 20 which is thenreplaced by an internet link by second user 89 f, if the first user 89 bcontinues to maintain the word processor document on her device displayor at least open and running even if not currently viewable on herdevice display, the any user would be able to scroll back to view thefirst user's document assuming that the first user has not taken someother action to disable reaccess to that document. However, if the firstuser closes out the word document on her portable computing device, thedocument itself would be removed from the session sequence and would notbe re-accessible via the scrolling tools.

In other cases it is contemplated that separate content scrolling toolsmay be presented for each common field on the common display screen(s)18 a. To this end, see again, for instance, FIG. 20 where first andsecond field scrolling tools 396 and 398 are spatially associated withthe first and second common fields 210 and 220, respectively. Here,assuming a first sequence of 20 desktop shares and a second sequence of22 desktop shares occur during a session in fields 210 and 220,respectively, a user would be able to scroll through either of the 20 or22 shared content sequences independent of the other sequence.

In still other embodiments it is contemplated that a sequence of sessionthumbnail images may be presented as part of one or more of thescrolling tools so that users can better locate specific legacy contentthat they are seeking. To this end, see exemplary thumbnail images 400,402, 404, etc., in FIG. 20 that form part of the scrolling tool 390.

While some scrolling tools are described in the content of a systemwhere the scrolling tools are provided on the common display 18 a andothers are described in the context of table integrated scrollingbuttons or the like, it should be understood that any of the tableintegrated functions or features may instead be provided on the commondisplay 18 a and the display 18 a based functions and features mayinstead be provided by components integrated into the tabletop assembly.

The USB-C ports may also be provided at other locations including in thetable edge at each user's station, within a grommet assembly, etc.Regarding power, while the optimal system would include wireless powercharging at each user station, in other embodiments there may be nowireless power and user's may have to rely on USB-C ports or thereceptacles integrated into the cable wire assembly at 32.

Alternative Optimized System

Need to describe what a device-less system would look like where usersdo not bring any personal portable devices to the MS table.

This will likely be similar to what we see in FIG. 1 at the end of thetable opposite the screen, albeit where personal screens and keyboardsare provided at each user station. In general this type of system isspecked out in one of the pending emissive surface cases (01135) whereall I/O is emissive.

In at least some embodiments it is contemplated that a special sharingsession management application program may be run by system computer 100to manage content sharing, a content queue and content archiving forfuture access. In this regard, U.S. patent application Ser. No.14/640,288 (hereinafter “the '288 application”) which was filed on Mar.6, 2015 and which is titled “Method and System for FacilitatingCollaborative Sessions” teaches several session management systemembodiments that may be combined with the teachings in this disclosurefor managing sessions and is incorporated herein in its entirety byreference. More specifically, the '288 application describes systemswhereby users can post content to session queues prior to commencementof a session or meeting, where any session attendees can access and viewall content in the queue prior to, during and even after a session andwhere any attendee can move session content to a shared common displayor content sharing field. In at least some cases it is contemplated thateach user of system 10 described in the specification may have the samecapabilities to post, access and control session content described inthe '288 application where the common window or field is presented oncommon system display 18 a.

In still other cases it is contemplated that system 10 may enable anysystem user or at least one system user to add any content shared oncommon display 18 a to a session queue like the queues described in the'288 application. To this end, see, for instance, in FIG. 11 that a“Save To Session” option button 410 and 412 is provided for each of thecommon sharing fields 210 and 212. Here, it is contemplated that aseparate “Save To Session” button would be provided for each commonsharing field presented and that selection of one of those options wouldstart a process whereby a user would select a specific session or teamproject queue to which the instantaneous content in the associatedsharing field could be added.

In some embodiments when content shared in a common sharing field (e.g.,210 in FIG. 23) is added to a session queue, the added content may onlyinclude the instantaneous image presented in the sharing field when theSave To Session option is selected. In other cases where theinstantaneous image in a sharing field is simply one view of a largerdocument, video, file, record, etc., when the Save To Session option isselected, the entire record, file, document, etc., associated with theinstantaneous image in the field may be loaded from a user's sourcedevice or some other location to the session queue for subsequentaccess. In other cases a user may have the option to store aninstantaneous image or an entire related file, record, document, etc.,when the Save To Session option is selected. For example, see in FIG. 23that a minimal drop down menu is presented at 416 that gives a user theoption to save either an instantaneous image or a related file, whichmay be presented when the instantaneous image is related to a largerfile.

In still other embodiments when a user station is associated with auser, the station may simply provide a web browser type interface toenable the user to access her company's server to use applications andaccess data.

In cases where a user is wirelessly linked to system 10 and isassociated with a first user station (e.g., 60 b in FIG. 3) such thatthe station interface (e.g., 76 b) and state indicator devices (e.g., 70b, 72 b, 74 b and the interface buttons) at the station are used inconjunction with a user's portable computing device to facilitateintuitive content sharing, if the user moves from first user station 60b to a different second user station such as for instance, station 60 fin FIG. 3, in at least some embodiments, system processor 100 may beprogrammed to automatically disassociate the user's device from firststation 60 b and re-associate the user's device with the second station60 f so that the interface and state indicators at the second stationthen operate in conjunction with the user's device to facilitateintuitive sharing. In some cases, this re-association process may occurat any time during an ongoing session regardless of the duration of adisassociated period. In other cases, the duration of disassociationbetween the time the user's device is removed from the first station andthe time at which the user's device is re-sensed at the second stationmay have to be less than some threshold value (e.g., 2 minutes) in orderfor an auto-re-association process to occur.

It has been recognized that it would be possible for a user to link to afirst USB-C port associated with a first station but take a position ata different one of the user stations at a table assembly. Thus, forinstance, in FIG. 3, a user may plug her portable device into port 35 bat station 60 b but assume a position at station 60 f across thetabletop 26 from station 60 b. Here, unless addressed, a problem couldarise whereby the user device at the second station 60 f would not becoupled to the interface and state indicator affordances at that stationand instead would be coupled to the interface and indicator affordancesat station 60 b. In short order, the user would recognize the incorrectcoupling and could either move from station 60 f to station 60 b to useinterface 766 b and be supported by the station 60 b indicatoraffordances or could simply disconnect from port 35 b and reconnect toport 35 f.

In still other cases, the ports 35 b, 35 f, etc., may simply be for dataconnection and user device association may be based on NFC sensing ofspecific devices at specific stations. For instance, in the aboveexample where a user links her device to port 35 b but places herportable computing device at station 60 f for use, the NFC or otherstation sensing device (e.g., see again 80 in FIG. 3) may detect theuser device at station 60 f and coupling to station 60 f affordances(e.g., the interface, the state indicator set, etc.) may be automateddespite the user device remaining coupled to port 35 b at station 60 b.

In some embodiments it is contemplated that initial user deviceassociation with system 10 and more specifically with a user station maybe via NFC sensing and subsequent communication for content sharing,indicating states, etc., may be via some other longer rangecommunication protocol such as, for instance, Bluetooth wirelesscommunication. For instance, if a user initially places her laptop ontabletop surface 26 at user station 60 b in FIG. 3, NFC sensor basedassociation may be initiated. After initial association, Bluetoothcommunication would allow the user to, for example, place the user'slaptop device on her lap or she may prefer to hold her device in herhands during use (e.g., many people prefer to hold smart phone or tablettype portable devices in their hands during use as opposed to havingthem rest on a tabletop) without decoupling from the system 10 andwithout disassociating with her current station. In at least some cases,after initial NFC based association, Bluetooth communication may occurand user device association with the associated station may persistuntil the user either affirmatively decouples from the system or untilan NFC sensor at a different one of the user stations senses the userdevice located at that station.

While content sharing systems like those described above areparticularly useful for sharing content among multiple system users, ithas been recognized that the affordances associated with a sharingsystem as described above can also support one or more users whenperforming single person work activities (e.g., activities requiringfocused individual attention). For this reason, in at least someembodiments it is contemplated that system affordances may be able tomorph between different arrangements to support users differently whenoperating individually and when operating as a group. For example, insome cases the common emissive surface display 18 a may be moveablebetween an optimal group sharing position and an optimal individual userposition or arrangement. To this end see, for instance FIG. 24 where anemissive surface 18 a is bendable and moveable between the group useposition shown in solid lines at 18 a and a single user support positionshown in phantom lines at 18 a′. Here, an initial system user may linkto the port at station 60 a and processor 100 may provide the user anoption to either configure the system for group use or for single usessupport. Upon selecting the single user support option, the processor100 may control motors or other actuators to move and bend the screenfrom the 18 a position to the 18 a′ position so that the user can usethe emissive surface structure to access data and software applications.An added benefit to configuring the screen as shown in phantom tosupport a user is that the screen itself provides a higher level ofprivacy for a system user.

In some cases a group of people may want to share content with eachother but may not have access to a content sharing system 10 like thosedescribed above. The present disclosure also contemplates a systemwherein a group of users can associate their portable computing devicesin a wireless local network in order to share content in a manner thatis similar to that described above. To this end, see FIG. 25 where firstthrough fifth laptops 500, 602, 504, 506 and 508 and a tablet computingdevice 510 are illustrated where devices 500, 502, 504, 506, 508 and 510are owned or at least operated by user's named Ralph, John, Mary, JoeSarah and Sue, respectively. Here, it is assumed that each of thedevices in FIG. 25 has a content sharing application stored in a localmemory or at least that is accessible via a wireless network or the likethat enables content sharing as described herein. In at least someembodiments it is contemplated that the sharing software will, uponinitiation, facilitate discover of other wireless user source devices inthe near vicinity of the device that initiates the application and willpresent device linking options to a user. To this end, see in FIG. 25that a screen shot presents instructions at 512 to select a subset ofthe proximate wireless devices that may be wirelessly associated forcontent sharing purposes and a list of selectable devices at 514. Afterselecting devices to associate with for content sharing, the userselects an Enter icon 516 causing his device to commence a sharingauthorization process. Here, the devices may cooperate to provide theoption to each of the users of the other selected devices to eitherreject the sharing option or to accept the option.

Once the invited users accept the sharing option, each user thataccepted the option may be presented with a “Share Desktop” option 520,522 as shown in FIG. 26 as a selectable icon in a peripheral area oftheir desktop image for selection to share content with the otherwirelessly networked devices. FIG. 27 shows Ralph's and John's devices500 and 502 After Ralph selects the Share Desktop option in FIG. 26.Ralph is presented the option to “Unshare” his desktop as a selectableicon 524. As shown, Because Ralph is sharing his desktop, his desktoprepresentation remains maximized on his device display screen. John'sdesktop remains maximized in the illustrated example but a contentsharing window 526 is opened on top of John's desktop and presentsRalph's shared desktop. John is also presented the options to “SwapDesktop For Shared Content” via button 530 and “Add Common Field” viabutton 532. Here, if John selects button 530, John's desktop will bereplace Ralph's shared desktop as the shared content and thereforeJohn's view would look a lot like Ralph's in FIG. 27 and Ralph's wouldlook a lot like John's in FIG. 27. All of the other user device views inFIG. 27 would be similar to John's albeit with their desktoprepresentations as opposed to John's shown in the background.

Referring again to FIG. 27, if John selects button 532 to open anadditional sharing field, in at least some embodiments the devices wouldswitch to the presenting state shown in FIG. 28. In FIG. 28, Ralph'sshared desktop field has been reduced in size 540 to accommodate John'snew shared desktop field 542 on all device displays. Here, because bothRalph and John are presenting, their desktop images are presented in theshared fields and therefore are not presented in the background.However, as seen on Sarah's device, because Sarah is not sharing herdesktop, Sarah's desktop is shown in the background on her devicedisplay.

Referring still to FIG. 28, Each of Ralph and John have the option to“Unshare” their shared desktop images. In addition to viewing the sharedfirst and second fields, Sarah is presented the options to add anadditional sharing field to share her desktop simultaneously with Ralphand John (se button 550) as well as separate option buttons 552 and 554to swap her desktop image for either or Ralph's or John's desktopimages. Again, the other user devices would have views similar toSarah's in FIG. 28, albeit with their own desktop images in thebackground view.

In FIG. 27 it is contemplated that in at least some embodiments a usermay be able to toggle between their desktop image and the shared contentbringing either to the forefront and causing the other to assume thebackground position by simply clicking on one or the other via a mousecontrolled or pad controlled cursor or the like.

Instead of presenting a user's desktop image in a background position,in at least some embodiments a user's desktop image may simply bepresented in a second window on her device display that does not overlapand is not overlapped by the shared content fields. To this end, seeFIG. 29 which represents a similar content sharing state to the staterepresented in FIG. 27, albeit where John's desktop is presented on hisdevice display as a smaller second field 560 that is not overlappingwith shared window 562. Again John is presented with options to swap hisdesktop for Ralph's shared desktop or to open an additional secondcontent sharing field to present John's desktop simultaneously withRalph's. In addition, an option to make John's desktop primary on hisdisplay is presented as button 564. If John makes his desktop primary,as shown in FIG. 30, John's desktop 560′ increases in size and theshared field 562′ is reduced in size, albeit where the resulting fieldsstill do not overlap. With the shared field reduced in size, John ispresented with the option to make the shared field primary again viabutton 566.

In at least some cases, in addition to the hardware described above, thetable assembly 12 may also include integrated cameras, speakers andmicrophones. To this end, see the exemplary FIG. 2 table assembly 12that includes a camera 622 (only one labelled at station 60 b) at eachof the user stations and stereo speaker/microphone devices 620 at eachstation. Here, the stereo devices 620 are integrated into the tabletop26 adjacent the edges thereof and each station includes two spaced apartspeakers and microphones so that if a user covers one of the deviceswith a device, paper, etc., there is a good chance that the other of thedevices will remain uncovered and therefore fully functional. Thecameras 622 and microphone speaker devices 620 may be multipurpose andused for recording session content as well as for facilitating Skype orother telepresence aspects of a session. While not shown, similar cameraand microphone/speaker devices may be associated with side affordanceconfigurations like the one shown at 190 in FIG. 1.

While the embodiments described above are described as generallyegalitarian, in other cases it is contemplated that the system processormay facilitate other content sharing and control schemes. For instance,two other exemplary control schemes or modes of operation contemplatedinclude a presentation type mode and an instruction type mode. Asdescribed above, in an egalitarian operating mode, any user that has adevice linked to the system 10 may share content on the large commondisplay(s) at any time without permission from any other linked systemuser. In a pure presentation mode, it is contemplated that no user wouldbe able to take control of any shared or common content field on thecommon displays without a currently controlling user affirmativelyyielding control of that field. In a pure instruction mode, it iscontemplated that one user, referred to herein as an “instructor”, wouldpreview any content other users want to present in a common field andthat the content would only be shared after the instructor confirms thatthe content should be shared. Hybrid modes are also contemplated. Forinstance, in one hybrid operating mode referred to as a“presentation/collaboration” mode, one or a sub-set of fields may berestricted and only controllable per the presentation mode paradigmwhere a current controlling use has to yield the field for another userto present and the balance of the fields may be controllable in anegalitarian fashion (e.g., any user may control egalitarian fields atany time).

In at least some cases it is contemplated that a first user that linksto the system 10 may be presented initial virtual tools for settingsystem operating mode. For instance, see FIG. 31 where one of theintegrated user interfaces 276 b is shown immediately after a user 89 blinks her portable laptop device to the system where the systemprocessor presents the user with four operating mode options as well asinstructions 630 on the common emissive surface 18 a encouraging theuser to select one of the options. The four options include acollaboration mode, a presentation mode, an instruction mode and ahybrid presentation/collaboration mode 632, 634, 636 and 638,respectively, selectable to set those modes as described above. In atleast some cases the operating mode may be changeable at any time duringa session. In some cases only the original user that selected theinitial session mode or the interface (e.g., 276 b) used to set theinitial session mode may be useable to alter the operating mode.

In at least some embodiments where the presentation mode is initiallyset, a session may start out as a sort of pseudo egalitarian systemwhere any user can open up an additional content sharing field up to amaximum number (e.g., four) for sharing content independent of any otheruser yielding a field but where no user can replace another attendee'sshared content in any field without the field controlling user yieldingthat field. Thus, for instance, where a maximum number of sharing fieldson a common emissive surface is four (e.g., two rows, two columns), if afirst user is sharing content in a first large field, second, third andfourth users would be able to open new second, third and fourth fieldsfor sharing their content in an egalitarian fashion. Thereafter, a fifthuser would only be able to share her content after at least one of thefirst through fourth users yields one of the fields.

When in the instruction mode it is contemplated that the systemprocessor may present a content queue to the instructor via any one ofthe instructor's computing device or one of the integrated interfaces(e.g., 276 b, 40 (see again FIG. 1)) so that the instructor can leafthrough content that other users want to share and organize sharingorder pursuant to personal preferences. Here, it is contemplated that,in addition to allowing the instructor to preview and select otheruser's content for sharing, the interface will include tools forselecting either an existing field on the common emissive surface or forcreating a new field (up to the maximum number of surface fields) toreceive other user content to be shared.

When in the hybrid presentation/collaboration mode, it is contemplatedthat certain sharing fields may be restricted to being presentationfields and others may be restricted to being collaboration fields. Forinstance, in some embodiments a first field on a common surface mayalways be a presentation field which has to be yielded prior to anotheruser controlling content in that field and second, third and fourthcreated fields may always be collaboration fields where egalitariancontrol occurs. In other cases, when a field is initially created, theuser that opens or creates the field may have the ability to set theoperating mode for that specific field in a fashion similar to thatdescribed above in conjunction with the interface 276 b having fouroptions 632, 634, 636 and 638.

In a presentation mode where no user can take control of a specificsharing field prior to the controlling user yielding the field, thecontrol options presented to each user would be limited to onlyavailable options. Thus, for instance, where a user can add anadditional sharing field but cannot take control of a field that someother user is currently controlling, the option to take control of thefield controlled by the other user would not be presented.

While two or more visual content sets can be presented at the same timein different common display fields, audio output cannot be simultaneousin most cases and still make sense to users that experience simultaneousbroadcast. For this reason, in at least some cases the system processormay implement and enforce audio rules for which of two or moresimultaneous audio streams is broadcast to users of the sharing system.For instance, in some cases it may be that once a first audio steam isbeing broadcast, a second stream cannot be broadcast until either thefirst audio stream is completed or the user that presented the firststream stops that stream from broadcasting. Here, where audio broadcastsare associated with simultaneous video, it may be that an associatedvideo stream is delayed if the audio is delayed until after a currentaudio broadcast is complete or stopped by the sharing user.

In other cases, if a user shares an audio stream (e.g., either the audiostream alone or in conjunction with an associated video stream) whileanother user's first shared audio stream is playing, the first audiostream (and, if it exists, first associated video stream) may be stoppedand the newly shared stream may be broadcast.

In still other cases where a second user shares an audio stream while afirst user's first audio stream is being broadcast, the system mayprovide a query to the first, the second, or both the first and secondusers requesting the user(s) to indicate if the first stream (andassociated video if it exists) should persist or the second stream (andassociated video if it exists) should take precedence over the firststream.

While the systems described above include one or two large commondisplay screens for content sharing, in other embodiments systemsincluding three or more emissive content sharing surfaces arecontemplated as are systems that include two emissive surfaces that arearranged in different configurations. For instance, see FIG. 32 where anexemplary system 10 includes an additional large common and wall mountedemissive and touch sensitive surface 650. In this case, it iscontemplated that, after a user links her laptop or other portabledevice to the system 10 in one of the ways described above, the user 89may have occasion to get up without her portable device and move over tothe large surface 650 as illustrated to interact with content orapplication interfaces presented thereon. Here, as the user moves in thevicinity of system 10, cameras 200 or other sensor devices within thespace may track the user's location automatically and may associate theuser's identity with the specific user in space. Here, it iscontemplated that the user may, while at surface 650, perform someaction to access her laptop desktop such as, for instance, tripletapping the surface 650 in rapid succession causing the system processorto replicate user 89's desktop on surface 650 as shown at 652.

With her replicated desktop 652 at hand on surface 650, user 89 would beable to drive her laptop or other portable device in a fashion similarto the way the device would be driven directly if the user were at thedevice. Thus, user 89 could open or close any device 50 a application,control any application, generate content, etc., from replicated desktop650. In addition to replicating application interfaces and content,replicated desktop 650 would also replicate the content sharinginterface 71 from the desktop. An exemplary four button sharinginterface is shown at 654 in FIG. 32 that is similar to the sharinginterface design described above. Other sharing interfaces arecontemplated.

Where user 89 accesses her desktop but does not share the desktop, aframe 656 about the desktop representation may be presented on surface650 that is colored or otherwise distinguished as described above toindicate that the user is linked to share but is not currently sharingher desktop. Similar color indicators would be controlled at the stationto which the user's source device is linked. As user 89 shares contentthe system state indicators including 656 would be controlled toindicate different sharing states.

Other types of sharing state indicators are contemplated. For instance,in FIG. 33 a ceiling mounted laser writer device 660 is mounted over thetable assembly that can project images or content onto the tabletopsurface such as, for instance, an illuminated yellow field 664 to invitean attendee to take a station or a green sharing arrow from one stationto the common display to indicate which station(s) is currently sharingcontent. Other ceiling mounted light devices may also be controlled overuser stations to indicate current sharing states in a manner similar tothat described above. In other cases the tabletop may be contrasted of atranslucent or semi-transparent plastic or other rigid material and aprojector there below may be controlled to shine control indicia up ontothe undersurface of the tabletop member to be seen through the topsurface.

In at least some cases it is contemplated that one or more speakersand/or microphones in a space may be directional so that they areoperational along narrow corridors within a conference space to obtainaudio from or broadcast audio top specific users at specific locations.To this end, several companies have developed ultrasonic directionalspeakers capable of transmitting sound to specific locations withinspace. For instance, once such speaker is the Sennheiser Audiobeam fromSennheiser Electronic GmbH & Co. Instead of generating ordinary audiblesound waves with a single moving electromagnetic coil and cone,ultrasonic directional speakers generate ultrasound (high-frequencysound waves) that is too high pitched for our ears to hear using anarray of electrical devices called piezoelectric transducers. Thetransducers are simply crystals, such as quartz, that vibrate back andforth tens of thousands of times a second when you feed electriccurrents through them, producing very high frequencies of sound.Ultrasound is used because its higher-frequency waves have acorrespondingly shorter wavelength and diffract (spread out) less asthey travel, which means they stay together in a beam for longer thanordinary sound waves. Also, having an array of many, small transducersmakes sound diffract less than it would from a single, large transducer.The ultrasound travels out from a directional speaker in a narrowlyfocused column, like a flashlight beam. When the ultrasound waves hitsomething, they turn back into ordinary sound you can hear.

In the contemplated system, user locations at stations about theconference table 12 or in the space that houses the system 10 would beknown and therefore directional audio could be broadcast from thespeakers to all present users along narrow paths. One advantage herewould be that other people in the general vicinity of users at aconference table would have minimal distraction from or ability to hearaudio broadcast by the system 10. Thus, in some cases where system 10 islocated in an open office of cafeteria type setting, people in theambient would not be bothered. Where user voices at table 12 are pickedup and amplified only along paths directly toward users that are linkedto system 10, the linked users could speak more quietly and still beclearly heard by other linked users without bothering other people inthe ambient.

In at least some embodiments that include directional speakers, thosespeakers may be located and oriented so that it is highly likely thatonly a user at an associated station at the table edge hears broadcastaudio. In this regard, see again FIG. 33 where one directional speaker670 is shown suspended overhead, likely in a ceiling structure, over oneof the user stations along the tabletop edge with a directional field ofsound (FOS) 672 collimated to only be appreciably heard at the singleassociated user station. Other similarly mounted and arrangeddirectional speakers would also be provided above each of the otherillustrated user stations about the edge. Here, the directionalbroadcast in FOS 672 would not be transmitted horizontally in space andtherefore would substantially terminate at the associated user'sstation. In at least some cases the affordances within each user stationmay include at least some sound absorbing material to minimize soundreflection and further reduce unintended audio broadcast into theambient.

In still other cases directional speakers and microphones may beintegrated directly into the tabletop surface and directed generallyupwardly and slightly outwardly so that they obtain audio and broadcastaudio upward and slightly outward along an FOS that would typicallyinclude a user's head. To this end, see the exemplary dual directionalspeakers 674 and 676 mounted on either side of a user station in FIG. 33that include FOSs 680 and 682 aimed upward and outward to cover audiorequirements of the associated station. Again, sound absorbing materialmay be provided in the FOS paths to further eliminate unintended ambientaudio broadcasting.

In at least some cases it is contemplated that the directional soundspeakers 674, 676 may be further controllable to dynamically alter theFOS created thereby to focus on a user's head while at an associatedtable station. Thus, for instance, one or more system cameras 200 orother sensor devices may track the location of a user's head at astation and the system processor may be programmed to aim relativelynarrow FOSs at the location of a user's head to more effectively limitoverall ambient noise while delivering superior directed audio messagesor content to a user.

While the directional speakers are described here in the context of aconference table, it should be appreciated that the directional speakerconcept may be included in a personal workstation to provide audio to astation user while only minimally affecting overall noise level in asurrounding environment. In the case of a personal workstation, thedirectional audio may be integrated into a workstation tabletop, aceiling tile above the station, a privacy screen that surrounds aportion of the station or into any other station defining affordance(e.g., the head of a task light, an edge of a shelf member, etc.).

In some cases it is contemplated that two content sharing systems may beremotely located from each other and linked via some type ofcommunication network (e.g., the Internet) to facilitate collaborativesessions between first and second differently located user groups. Tothis end, see FIG. 34 where first and second similarly afforded sharingsystems 10 a and 10 b are shown that may be internet linked. In theillustrated state, first and second users 89 b and 89 f are located atsystem 10 a and third and fourth users 89 x and 89 y are located atsystem 10 b. Each user 89 b, 89 f, 89 x and 89 y has station affordancesthat are similar to those described above with respect to FIGS. 2through 4 and other associated drawings. In the illustrated example eachof the users 89 b, 89 f, 89 x and 89 y is linked to the overall systemand can share their content with other local and remote attendees viacommon emissive surfaces 18 a and 18 b that are included in the twosystems.

Referring still to FIG. 34, in the illustrated state, first user 89 band third user 89 x are currently sharing their desktops via both thefirst and second systems 10 a and 10 b. As shown, first user 89 b'sdesktop is presented in a left shared field 210 a and 210 b at eachsystem location while third user 89 x's desktop is presented in a rightshared field 620 a and 620 b at each system location. Consistent withthe indicating rules described above, a frame 136 a and 136 b about eachleft shared field is illuminated green (double diagonal cross hatch) toindicate that first user 89 b is sharing her content and a frame abouteach right shared field is illuminated pink (e.g., horizontal hatching)to indicate that third user 89 x is sharing his content in those fields.

As in the case of the system described with respect to FIG. 3 above,local users at the first location can see the table integratedindicators 70 b, 72 b, 74 b, etc. to associate the green frame 136 awith user 89 b locally but users at the second location of system 10 bcannot. For this reason, an image or live video representation of user89 b is presented at the second location as shown at 690 and that imageor video is also framed green to help users in the second locationunderstand that user 89 b who is remote is sharing the desktop at 210 b.Similarly, local users at the second location of system 10 b can see thetable integrated indicators 70 x, 72 x, 74 x, etc. to associate the pinkframe 682 b with user 89 x locally but users at the first location ofsystem 10 a cannot. For this reason, an image or live videorepresentation of user 89 x is presented at the first location as shownat 684 and that image or video is also framed pink to help users in thefirst location understand that user 89 x who is remote is sharing thedesktop at 680 a.

In at least some cases it is contemplated that when two or more remotesharing systems are linked together for a session, one of the systemsmay include more emissive surface sharing capabilities than another. Forinstance, referring to FIG. 35, in an exemplary case a first system 720including one sharing surface 722 may be linked to a second system 724including two sharing surfaces 726 and 728 so that twice as many sharingfields can be presented in the second system than in the first. Here,despite the fact that at times more sharing windows will be presented inone system than another, it would be advantageous for users in the twodifferent systems to know what fields and content the users in the otherlocation are able to view.

To this end, in at least some embodiments it is contemplated that ifmore large common sharing fields are presented at a first systemlocation than at a second location, at least smaller representations ofthe additional fields in the first location may be presented on a commonsurface in the second location. In FIG. 35, first, second and thirdusers at system 720 share content in four large common fields on surface722 while two other users at system 724 share content in first andsecond large fields on surface 728. Here, the content shared by thefirst, second and third users at system 720 is replicated on largesurface 726 at system 724 in a large format because system 724 hasenough emissive surface space to present six large common fields. Asshown, the remotely shared content in each field on surface 726 islabelled with facial images of sharing users at first system 720 thatare remote from the location of second system 724 to indicate ownershipor who is sharing each of those desktops or other content. In addition,while full representations of the content shared by local users usingsystem 724 are presented on surface 728, because those representationsare only presented as smaller representations at first system 720, thoserepresentations at system 724 are visually distinguished in a differentway at system 724 represented by the labels “Remotely Small”.

Referring still to FIG. 35, at first system 720, each of the smallrepresentations 700 and 702, because they are presented by remote usersusing the second system 724, are labelled with facial images of theremote users that present the desktop images to indicate ownership. Inaddition, to make clear that each of representations 700 and 702 islarge at the remote second system 724, each is labeled “Remotely Large”.Thus, in FIG. 35, in addition to presenting content in ways that clearlyindicate ownership of or who is instantaneously sharing content, thesystem also presents content such that each users has the ability toperceive any type of presentation disparity that exists between remotelylinked conferences spaces.

Laptops exist today where a logo or some other device on a rear surfaceof a display can be illuminated, primarily for the purpose ofhighlighting the logo for aesthetic purposes. It is contemplated thatlaptops may be provided with the ability to control the color of therear display surface logo. In this case, system state indicators thatindicate content sharing and specifically who has control of sharedcontent may be provided using the rear display surface logo or someother light device integrated into a laptop. Here, for instance, a linkto a system to share without sharing may be indicated via yellow andsharing by a specific user associated with the color green may beindicated via green light, etc.

Yet one other interesting configuration contemplated by the presentdisclosure is similar to the FIG. 1 system, albeit where the singletabletop assembly is replaced by a plurality of smaller portable tablesthat can be arranged together in a conference space adjacent one or morecommon display screens where ach table includes integrated control andindicator devices or subassemblies. To this end, see, for instance FIG.36 where a system 748 includes four castered table or station assembliesare shown at 750, 752, 754 and 756 that are proximate a large commonemissive surface 760. Here, each station is similarly constructed andwould operate in a similar fashion and therefore only station 750 isdescribed in any detail. Station 750, like the single tabletop stationsdescribed above, includes a worksurface area that is surrounded byintegrated light indicators on three sides for inviting a user to usethe station, indicating linkage of the user's portable device or theusers identity to the overall system for sharing, a content sharing asdescribed above. As shown at 770, in at least some cases the indicatorlight devices may be integrated into one or more of the edges of thestation worktop member so that at least a portion of the light generatedthereby is horizontally directed and another portion is directedgenerally upward so that the indicator states are easily viewable fromall locations above or to the sides of the worktop. The station 750further includes an integrated camera and directional or standardspeakers and a microphone, an integrated control interface, an inductivecharging or other assembly, an NFC sensor and communication device, aUSB-C or other multifunction connection port, etc. In addition, becauseeach station is castered and therefore mobile, in at least some caseseach station will also include a wireless transceiver for wirelesslycommunicating with the system processor for control and state indicationpurposes.

In a case like the system 748 shown in FIG. 36, in some embodiments anytime a mobile station 750 is within some range of a common emissivesurface (e.g., 760 or some other common surface), the station 750 mayautomatically associate with that surface for sharing purposes. Thus,for instance, a wireless access point system or the like may detect whenstation 750 is located within 20 feet of surface 760 and mayautomatically associate the station and the surface. In other caseswhere surface 760 is located in a defined conference space like aconference room that has a single egress, whenever statin 750 is locatedin the conference space occupied by surface 760, the station 750 may beassociated with and only associated with station 760. In yet other casesan association process may be required that is akin to the laptop orother portable device association process described above with respectto FIG. 25 for associating stations with surface 760.

Referring again to FIG. 3, in some cases each station (e.g., 60 b) mayinclude only one indicator light device 72 b and may or may not includeother indicia for indicating the space associated with the station 60 b.Thus, for instance, where indicators 70 b and 74 b are shown, printedindicia may be presented instead of light devices for simply indicatingbounds of the station. In other cases the indicators 70 b and 74 b maybe illuminated with only a single color to indicate bounds only when thestation is occupied or, indeed, the entire station worksurface space maybe dimly illuminated with a non-color changing light to indicate stationbounds while only device 72 b changes color to indicate invite, linkedand controlling states. State indicators on a common emissive surfacemay also take other forms in addition to full colored framerepresentations including a single illuminated bar along the edge of anassociated content field, a circular token representation where color istied to the station that was used to share the content, etc. Otherindicator and station defining configurations are contemplated.

One or more specific embodiments of the present invention have beendescribed above. It should be appreciated that in the development of anysuch actual implementation, as in any engineering or design project,numerous implementation-specific decisions must be made to achieve thedevelopers' specific goals, such as compliance with system-related andbusiness related constraints, which may vary from one implementation toanother. Moreover, it should be appreciated that such a developmenteffort might be complex and time consuming, but would nevertheless be aroutine undertaking of design, fabrication, and manufacture for those ofordinary skill having the benefit of this disclosure.

Thus, the invention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, andalternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention asdefined by the following appended claims:

What is claimed is:
 1. A content sharing system for sharing digitalcontent within a conference space wherein specific zones within theconference space are associated with a plurality of different stations,the system comprising: at least a first large common emissive surfacearranged for viewing by users within a conference space; at least afirst sensor device located within the conference space for identifyinglocations of portable computing devices used by conferees within theconference space; and a processor linked to the emissive surface and theat least a first sensor device, the processor programmed to perform thesteps of: (i) determining a location of a portable computing devicewithin the conference space; (ii) recognizing that the portablecomputing device is within one of the specific zones associated with oneof the stations within the conference space; and (iii) for each portablecomputing device that is at one of the plurality of stations within theconference space: (a) establish a wireless communication link with theportable computing device; and (b) enable the portable computing deviceto share content on the at least a first common emissive surface.
 2. Thesharing system of claim 1 further including a table assembly including atabletop surface wherein the zones are arranged along a circumferentialedge of the tabletop surface.
 3. The sharing system of claim 2 whereinthe at least a first emissive surface is arranged along an edge portionof the tabletop surface.
 4. The sharing system of claim 2 wherein thetabletop includes at least one emissive surface, the at least oneemissive surface including a separate emissive surface interface portionadjacent each of the stations and, wherein, the step of enabling theportable computing device to share content includes presenting a contentsharing interface to one of the conferees via one of the adjacentemissive surface interface portions.
 5. The sharing system of claim 2further including a separate visual indicator spatially associated witheach of the stations, each indicator controlled to visually indicatewhen a wireless communication link with a portable computing devicelocated at the station exists.
 6. The sharing system of claim 5 whereinthe indicators are integrated into the tabletop.
 7. The sharing systemof claim 2 further including a separate visual indicator spatiallyassociated with each of the stations, each indicator controlled tovisually indicate when a wireless communication link with a portablecomputing device located at the station exists while content is notbeing shared on the at least a first common emissive surface by thecomputing device located at the station and differently indicating whena wireless communication link with a portable computing device locatedat the station exists while content is being shared on the at least afirst common emissive surface by the computing device located at thestation.
 8. The sharing system of claim 7 wherein more than one portablecomputing device can simultaneously share content via the at least afirst common emissive surface.
 9. The sharing system of claim 8 wherein,upon first and second portable computing devices sharing content on theat least a first common emissive surface, the indicators associated withthe first portable computing device and the second portable computingdevice illuminate first and second different colors to indicate contentsharing, respectively.
 10. The sharing system of claim 9 wherein, uponfirst and second portable computing devices sharing first and secondcontent on the at least a first common emissive surface, first andsecond indicators are presented on the at least a first common emissivesurface adjacent the first and second shared content, respectively. 11.The sharing system of claim 10 wherein the first and second indicatorspresented on the common emissive surface include illuminated framesabout the first and second content, respectively, that are the first andsecond colors, respectively.
 12. The sharing system of claim 1 whereinthe at least a first sensor device includes at least a first camera. 13.The sharing system of claim 12 wherein the at least a first cameraincludes a separate camera associated with each station in theconference space.
 14. The sharing system of claim 1 wherein the step ofenabling the portable computing device to share content includesproviding a content sharing interface to the conferee using the portablecomputing device.
 15. The sharing system of claim 14 wherein theportable computing device includes a display screen and wherein theinterface is presented to the conferee via the display screen.
 16. Thesharing system of claim 15 wherein the display screen is touch sensitiveand wherein the interface includes a virtual interface including atleast a first virtual touch selectable content sharing button.
 17. Thesharing system of claim 16 wherein an area of the at least a firstcommon emissive surface is divided into a plurality of content sharingareas and wherein the virtual interface includes a separately selectablesharing button for each of the content sharing areas which is selectableto share content in the associated content sharing area.
 18. The sharingsystem of claim 1 wherein, at times, content from first and secondportable computing devices is simultaneously shared in a side by sidejuxtaposition.
 19. The sharing system of claim 18 wherein, as moreportable computing devices share content simultaneously via the at leasta first common emissive surface, a number of content sharing fields onthe common emissive surface is modified to show all of the contentsimultaneously.
 20. The sharing system of claim 1 further including atleast one remotely located common emissive surface located in a secondconference space and, wherein, the remotely located common emissivesurface replicates the content on the at least a first common emissivesurface.
 21. The sharing system of claim 1 further including a separateinterface associated with each of the stations wherein the interfaceenables a conferee to control sharing of content from a portablecomputing device that is linked to the system at an associated one ofthe stations.
 22. The sharing system of claim 1 wherein the processor isfurther programmed to perform the steps of, recognizing when a portablecomputing device that was linked to the system for sharing is no longerin one of the zones and delinking the portable computing device from thesystem upon removal of the portable computing device from the zone. 23.The sharing system of claim 1 wherein the at least a first sensor deviceincludes at least a first near field communication device proximate atleast a first of the zones.
 24. The sharing system of claim 23 whereinthe first near field communication device is integrated into a tabletop.25. The sharing system of claim 23 wherein the at least a first nearfield communication device includes a separate near field communicationdevice for each of the zones, a separate one of the near fieldcommunication devices proximate each of the separate zones.
 26. Thesharing system of claim 1 further including a separate visual indicatorspatially associated with each of the stations, each indicator visuallyindicating when content is being shared on the common emissive surfaceby the computing device located at the station.
 27. The sharing systemof claim 26 wherein each visual indicator is a light device wherein atleast one illumination effect indicates content sharing.
 28. The sharingsystem of claim 26 wherein each indicator also indicates when a wirelesscommunication link with a portable computing device located at thestation exists while content is not being shared on the at least a firstcommon emissive surface by the computing device located at the station.29. The sharing system of claim 1 wherein the zones are arranged in anon-overlapping fashion.
 30. The sharing system of claim 1 furtherincluding a separate visual indicator spatially associated with each ofthe stations, each indicator visually indicating when a wirelesscommunication link with a portable computing device located at thestation exists.
 31. A content sharing system for sharing digital contentwithin a conference space, the system comprising: at least a first largecommon emissive surface arranged for viewing by users within aconference space; at least a first sensor device located within theconference space for identifying locations of conferees within theconference space wherein at least a first conferee within the conferencespace uses a first portable computing device including a device displayscreen to access content on the device display screen; at least a secondsensor device for wirelesses communicating with portable computingdevices located within the conference space; and a processor linked tothe emissive surface and the sensor devices, the processor programmed toperform the steps of: (i) associating the first portable computingdevice with a first user located within the conference space; (ii) withcontent presented on the device display screen and the first portablecomputing device spaced away from the common emissive surface, trackinga location of the first user within the conference space proximate thecommon emissive surface; (iii) receiving an access signal from the firstuser to access the content presented on the device display screen viathe common emissive surface; and (iv) in response to receiving theaccess signal, replicating the content currently on the device displayscreen within a presentation space on the common emissive surface. 32.The sharing system of claim 31 wherein the common emissive surface istouch sensitive and wherein the first user can interact with softwarerun by the first portable computing device via the common emissivesurface.
 33. The sharing system of claim 32 wherein the access signalincludes a touch gesture on the touch sensitive common emissive surface.34. The sharing system of claim 31 wherein the step of replicating thecontent includes opening a window including the presentation space onthe common emissive surface and replicating the content within the newlyopened window.
 35. The sharing system of claim 34 wherein the commonemissive surface includes a surface area and wherein the presentationspace is a fraction of the surface area of the common emissive surface.36. The sharing system of claim 31 wherein the processor is furtherprogrammed to perform the steps of, while content is replicated on thecommon emissive surface, presenting an interface via the common emissivesurface usable to select the replicated content to be replicated at adifferent location on at least one other common emissive surface withinthe conference space.
 37. A content sharing system for sharing digitalcontent within a conference space wherein at least a first confereewithin the conference space uses a first portable computing deviceincluding a device display screen to access content on the devicedisplay screen, the system comprising: at least a first large commonemissive surface arranged for viewing by users within a conferencespace; at least a first sensor device located within the conferencespace for detecting the first portable computing device within theconference space; an interface emissive surface that is independent ofthe portable computing device; and a processor linked to the emissivesurface, the sensor devices, and the interface emissive surface, theprocessor programmed to perform the steps of: (i) detecting the firstportable computing device within the conference space; (ii) associatingthe first portable computing device with the interface emissive surface;and (iii) presenting a content sharing interface on the interfaceemissive surface that, when activated, causes content from the devicedisplay screen to be presented on the common emissive surface.
 38. Thesharing system of claim 37 wherein the processor is programmed toassociate the first portable computing device with the interfaceemissive surface while the first portable computing device is locatedproximate the interface emissive surface.
 39. The sharing system ofclaim 38 wherein the interface emissive surface is integrated into atabletop of a conference table.
 40. The sharing system of claim 37further including a visual indicator device controllable to indicatedifferent content sharing states.
 41. The sharing system of claim 40wherein the visual indicator visually indicates when content from theportable computing device is shared on the common emissive surface.